French President Emmanuel Macron will undertake a three-day visit to India beginning 17 February, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Tuesday. During the visit, Macron will hold wide-ranging discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attend the AI Impact Summit, according to the MEA.
The two leaders are expected to review and strengthen bilateral cooperation across a broad range of areas. They will also exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest, including cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
As part of the visit, Prime Minister Modi and President Macron will travel to Mumbai to jointly inaugurate the ‘India-France Year of Innovation’, the MEA said, marking a renewed push to deepen collaboration in technology, innovation and future-focused sectors.
As part of the visit, PM Modi and Emmanuel Macron will hold wide-ranging discussions to further strengthen bilateral cooperation under the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, which outlines the long-term vision for the India-France Strategic Partnership, and will also jointly inaugurate the India-France Year of Innovation 2026 in Mumbai.
The Year of Innovation 2026 initiative will be celebrated throughout the year in both countries and aims to deepen collaboration in innovation, technology, research, and people-to-people exchanges.
“India is in a sweet spot as a massive market for defence, energy and aeronautics, apart from consumer goods across all economic strata that are increasingly upwardly mobile and aspirational. Beyond economics, India’s place in a multipolar world is becoming evident, especially to Europe, which has realised the risks of over-reliance on a mercurial US and an exacting China. France recognised this earlier than most, making its effort to reinforce longstanding ties with India a natural move,” said current affairs commentator Sandip Ghose.
AI Impact Summit
French President Emmanuel Macron will pay an official visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which he will participate in the AI Impact Summit, the first global AI summit to be hosted in the Global South, in the national capital, underscoring the importance both countries attach to cooperation in emerging and critical technologies, including artificial intelligence.
In February last year, PM Modi co-chaired the AI Action Summit with President Macron in Paris.
The India-AI Impact Summit will be held from February 16 to 20 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, marking the first global AI summit to be hosted in the Global South.
Designed as a five-day programme covering policy, research, industry and public engagement, the Summit is anchored on three foundational pillars, or "Sutras": People, Planet and Progress, and is expected to bring together global leaders, policymakers, technology companies, innovators and experts to deliberate on AI's role in governance, innovation and sustainable development.
The India AI Impact Expo, spanning over 70,000 square metres, is expected to feature more than 300 exhibitors from 30 countries across 10 thematic pavilions, showcasing AI's transition from research and pilots to large-scale deployment.
The Summit builds on India's development-focused approach to AI, aligns with the IndiaAI Mission and Digital India Initiative, and emphasises translating global AI discussions into practical, people-centric outcomes.
India and France's bilateral ties
India and France share a long-standing strategic partnership that spans defence, security, technology, space and global diplomacy. The partnership, launched on January 26, 1998, was India’s first-ever strategic alliance and was aimed at strengthening the strategic autonomy of both countries through closer bilateral cooperation.
Defence and security, civil nuclear cooperation and space have remained the core pillars of the relationship, which has expanded in recent years to include the Indo-Pacific, digital technologies, cyber security, advanced computing, climate action, the blue economy and renewable energy.
The partnership is anchored in shared democratic values, support for multilateralism, respect for international law, and growing economic, academic and people-to-people ties.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited France last year from February 10 to 12, 2025, during which he co-chaired the third AI Action Summit in Paris with President Emmanuel Macron. India will host the next AI Summit in February this year, which will also mark the India–France Year of Innovation, featuring year-long collaborative events across sectors such as culture, trade and technology. During the visit, the two leaders also jointly inaugurated India’s Consulate General in Marseille.
The two countries signed a declaration of their intent to establish a partnership on advanced and small modular nuclear reactors during Modi's visit to France last year.
Modi and Macron have met regularly on the sidelines of major multilateral summits to review progress under the Horizon 2047 roadmap, including their most recent interaction at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, in June 2025.
Defence cooperation remains a key pillar of the relationship, with an increasing focus on indigenisation. The partnership is reviewed through the Annual Defence Dialogue at the ministerial level and the High Committee on Defence Cooperation at the secretary level. Major milestones include the P-75 Scorpene submarine project and the delivery of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft to the Indian Air Force.
114 Rafale combat aircraft deal
Ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India in the third week of February, the Defence Ministry is expected to take up for discussion a Rs 3.25 lakh crore proposal to procure 114 Rafale combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force.
The proposal, aimed at significantly strengthening the IAF’s fighter fleet, received initial clearance from the Defence Procurement Board last month.
“The proposal is likely to be taken up for discussion next week at a high-level meeting of the defence ministry and is seen as critical for meeting the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force in view of the present security scenario in the region,” defence sources told ANI.
The Indian Air Force is currently operating around 30 fighter squadrons, well below its sanctioned strength of 42. Defence planners say the gap has become more concerning amid increasing security challenges in the region, including growing coordination between Pakistan and China, as well as Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The project is expected to address the IAF’s long-term requirement for 4.5-generation-plus multirole fighter aircraft. Under the plan, around 80 per cent of the 114 Rafale jets would be manufactured in India, in collaboration with French aerospace major Dassault Aviation and Indian private sector companies.
Sources said the proposed fleet would include 88 single-seat and 26 twin-seat aircraft, with the bulk of production taking place in India.
If the deal is finalised, the Indian Air Force’s Rafale fleet would rise to 150 aircraft, in addition to the 26 Rafale-M jets ordered for the Indian Navy, which are configured for aircraft carrier operations.
In April 2025, India and France signed an inter-governmental agreement for the procurement of 26 Rafale-M aircraft for the Indian Navy. The deal includes transfer of technology for integrating indigenous weapons and setting up manufacturing and maintenance facilities in India, in line with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat push.
Under the Scorpene project, six submarines were constructed for the Indian Navy, with the sixth and final submarine, INS Vaghsheer, commissioned in January 2025, completing the programme.
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