French President Emmanuel Macron will undertake an official visit to India from February 17 to February 19 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Tuesday.
During the three-day trip, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi will hold extensive discussions aimed at advancing bilateral cooperation under the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, which lays out the long-term vision for the India–France Strategic Partnership. According to the MEA, the talks will span a wide range of sectors, reflecting the expanding scope of engagement between the two countries.
‘AI Impact Summit’ and innovation drive take centre stage
A key component of Macron’s visit will be his participation in the AI Impact Summit in the national capital. The summit, being hosted for the first time in the Global South, highlights the shared priority India and France place on emerging and critical technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.
The India AI Impact Summit is scheduled to run from February 16 to 20 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
Designed as a five-day programme encompassing policymaking, research, industry engagement and public outreach, the summit is structured around three core pillars, People, Planet and Progress. It is expected to bring together global leaders, policymakers, technology firms, innovators and subject experts to explore the role of AI in governance, innovation and sustainable development.
Running alongside the summit will be the India AI Impact Expo, spread across more than 70,000 square metres. The exhibition is set to host over 300 exhibitors from 30 countries across 10 thematic pavilions, showcasing how artificial intelligence is moving from experimental projects to large-scale real-world deployment. The MEA said the summit reflects India’s development-oriented approach to AI and aligns with the India AI Mission and the Digital India Initiative. It also aims to translate global AI deliberations into practical, people-focused outcomes.
Innovation push and Indo-Pacific cooperation
During the visit, Modi and Macron will also travel to Mumbai to jointly launch the India–France Year of Innovation 2026. The initiative will be celebrated throughout the year in both countries and seeks to strengthen collaboration in innovation, technology, research, and people-to-people exchanges.
The two leaders are also expected to exchange views on major regional and international issues of shared interest, including cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, reflecting growing strategic alignment between New Delhi and Paris.
“This visit follows Prime Minister Modi’s trip to France in February 2025 and underscores the mutual trust and depth of the India–France Strategic Partnership, along with the shared commitment to take it forward,” the MEA said. Notably, in February last year, Prime Minister Modi co-chaired the AI Action Summit with President Macron in Paris, further underlining the central role of technology cooperation in bilateral ties.
