- French President Macron visits Mumbai for a three-day India trip and AI summit
- Macron and PM Modi to discuss Rafale jet deal and India-France strategic ties
- The leaders will address regional, global issues and economic partnership progress
French President Emmanuel Macron is in Mumbai for a three-day visit to India, where he's scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attend an artificial intelligence summit. France is seeking to expand its military partnership with New Delhi, and Macron's talks with PM Modi are likely to focus on cooperation in artificial intelligence and a potential multibillion-dollar Dassault Rafale fighter jet deal.
The two leaders will also exchange views on regional and global issues and review progress in the India-France strategic partnership.
PM Modi-Macron Meet
Prime Minister Modi will travel to Mumbai for the meeting with Macron, who landed in India's financial capital with his wife, Brigitte, around midnight on Monday for his fourth visit to India since taking office in 2017. The French President's visit comes at the invitation of PM Modi to take part in the AI Impact Summit being hosted by India.
The visit follows New Delhi's confirmation last week that it intends to place a major order for Rafale jets, as well as the signing of a landmark free trade agreement between India and the European Union in January.
At approximately 3:15 pm on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi and President Macron will hold bilateral talks at Lok Bhavan in Mumbai.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, the discussions will include a comprehensive review of advancements made under the India-France Strategic Partnership. The deliberations are expected to focus on further strengthening the strategic relationship and expanding cooperation into emerging and future-oriented sectors.
The two leaders will exchange perspectives on significant regional and global issues, the PMO said in an official statement. A potential contract for 114 additional French fighter jets is also likely to be part of deliberations.
At around 5:15 pm, PM Modi and President Macron will jointly inaugurate the India-France Year of Innovation 2026. They will also address an audience comprising business leaders, start-up founders, researchers, and innovators from both countries.
PM Modi and Macron are also scheduled to inaugurate India's first helicopter final assembly line via videoconference from Mumbai, a joint venture between India's Tata Group and Airbus. The facility in Vemagal, in the southern state of Karnataka near the tech hub of Bengaluru, will manufacture the Airbus H125, the company's best-selling single-engine helicopter.
"Through this visit, we seek to further strengthen cooperation" with India and to "diversify" France's economic and trade partnerships, Macron's office said.
India, the world's most populous country with 1.4 billion people, is on track to become the fourth-largest economy globally. In the past decade, Paris has emerged as one of New Delhi's most important defence and economic partners.
The French President will also participate in the AI Impact Summit hosted by India on February 18 and 19.
Talks On Rafale Contract And More: What's On The Cards
New Delhi has sought over the past decade to reduce its dependence on Russia, its traditional main supplier of military equipment, turning to other countries while also pushing for more domestic production.
Last week, the defence ministry in a statement said the proposed purchase of Rafale jets had been cleared -- with "the majority" of them to be manufactured in India.
The statement did not specify the exact number of jets New Delhi would purchase, but sources told NDTV that India has approved a proposal worth Rs 3.25 lakh crore to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF), marking the biggest defence acquisition in the country's history.
If finalised, the jets would add to the 36 Rafales India purchased for its air force in 2016 and the 26 it has ordered for its navy.
Negotiations over the additional aircraft still need to be concluded with manufacturer Dassault Aviation, but the French presidency has voiced optimism that what it calls a "historic" agreement could be reached.
Talks between the two leaders are also expected to address global economic uncertainty triggered by tariff policies under US President Donald Trump, as well as China's influence in the region. PM Modi's office said discussions would focus on "cementing the strategic partnership and further diversifying it into new and emerging areas".
Bilateral trade between France and India, driven largely by defence and aerospace -- India's commercial fleet includes a substantial number of Airbus aircraft -- stands at around -15 billion ($18 billion) annually. French foreign direct investment in India totals nearly $15 billion (Rs 1.36 lakh crore).
