French President Emmanuel Macron will begin his India visit on February 16, with Mumbai as his first stop, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced. He is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 17 before both leaders travel to New Delhi for the AI Impact Summit 2026.
Macron will be accompanied by First Lady Brigitte Macron during the February 16–19 visit.
Mumbai Leg To Focus On Innovation, Cultural Ties
In Mumbai, the two leaders will oversee the exchange of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and issue a joint press statement. The iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel will host the India-France Innovation Forum.
Events are also planned at the Gateway of India, where the India-France Year of Innovation and Cultural Commemoration will be formally marked.
The “Year of Innovation 2026” initiative is set to be celebrated across both countries, aiming to deepen collaboration in technology, research, startups, and people-to-people exchanges.
AI Impact Summit In New Delhi
After the Mumbai engagements, Macron and Modi will head to New Delhi to attend the AI Impact Summit 2026. According to MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the summit to be held from February 16 to 20 will be the first global AI gathering hosted in the Global South.
The summit will revolve around three guiding themes- People, Planet, Progress, and will be structured around seven core focus areas, described as “chakras.”
Strengthening Strategic Partnership
This will be President Macron’s fourth visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi, reflecting sustained momentum in the India-France strategic partnership.
Over the years, cooperation between New Delhi and Paris has expanded across defence, space, civil nuclear energy, climate action, education, and emerging technologies. Artificial Intelligence is expected to be a key focus area during this visit.
The French Embassy in India described the upcoming trip as another important milestone in the growing bilateral relationship, which has steadily strengthened since Macron’s first official visit in 2018.
With innovation and AI at the forefront, the visit is expected to give fresh impetus to collaboration between the two countries in cutting-edge technologies and future-ready sectors.
(Via Agency Inputs)
