Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 17 (HBTV): French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday for their official visit to India, scheduled to continue until February 19.
They were received at the Mumbai airport by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
‘Towards a stronger India-France strategic partnership! Warm welcome to President Emmanuel Macron of the French Republic. He was warmly received by the Governor of Maharashtra and Gujarat, Acharya Devvrat, at the Mumbai airport. During the visit, PM Narendra Modi will hold bilateral meeting with President Emmanuel Macron. Both leaders will launch Year of Innovation 2026. The visit will impart further momentum to the vibrant India-France strategic partnership,’ External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.
This marks Macron’s fourth visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The visit reflects continued momentum in the India-France strategic partnership, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation and emerging technologies.
According to the French Embassy, the engagement represents another significant chapter in expanding ties between New Delhi and Paris. The visit comes amid deepening cooperation across defence, space, civil nuclear energy, climate action, and education.
The trajectory of bilateral ties began with Macron’s first visit in 2018, followed by his attendance at the 2023 G20 Summit and his 2024 State Visit as the Chief Guest for the 75th Republic Day celebrations.
During that visit, the two leaders declared 2026 as the India-France Year of Innovation, a joint initiative they are set to inaugurate in Mumbai during this trip. As part of the current itinerary, PM Modi and President Macron will hold wide-ranging discussions on February 17 in Mumbai to further strengthen bilateral cooperation under the Horizon 2047 Roadmap.
The leaders are also expected to exchange views on regional and global issues, including cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
Following their engagements in Mumbai, the delegation will travel to Delhi for the India AI Impact Summit 2026. The summit, being held at Bharat Mandapam from February 16 to 20, marks the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
The India AI Impact Summit is structured as a five-day programme anchored on three foundational pillars, or ‘Sutras’: People, Planet, and Progress.
The participation of the French President underscores the importance both nations attach to emerging technologies, building on PM Modi’s co-chairing of the AI Action Summit with Macron in Paris in February 2025.
(ANI)