Exclusive: In Macron's Return To India, Defence, AI And People At Core Of Familiar Partnership

French President Emmanuel Macron begins his three-day visit to India on February 17 with a schedule that mixes remembrance, business, technology and geopolitics, an itinerary designed to underline how far the India-France relationship has travelled, and where it is headed next.

This is President Macron's fourth visit to India, a frequency that itself signals the warmth of ties between New Delhi and Paris. His last interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi was at the AI Summit in Paris in 2025. This week, the conversation resumes on Indian soil, with defence cooperation, artificial intelligence and people-to-people links firmly in focus.

The visit opens in Mumbai on Tuesday with a sombre note. President Macron will pay tribute to the 166 victims of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, including two French nationals.

"The gesture carries emotional weight and reflects France's long-standing solidarity with India on counter-terrorism," diplomatic sources told NDTV.

From remembrance, the day moves to culture and soft power. Macron is expected to meet leading figures from Indian cinema, with discussions likely on expanding film cooperation and encouraging more Bollywood productions to shoot in France. French officials see cinema as a bridge between societies, and the interaction is meant to add a human, creative dimension to an otherwise strategic visit.

Later in Mumbai, PM Modi will formally welcome the French President on February 17. The two leaders will jointly inaugurate, via video conference, a new Airbus Helicopters assembly line in Bengaluru, with France's Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin also participating.

"The project underscores the depth of defence-industrial cooperation between the two countries, which has evolved from buyer-seller dynamics into joint manufacturing and technology-sharing," diplomatic sources said.

Meeting Indian Investors

Economics will begin on February 18. Over breakfast in Mumbai, President Macron will meet Indian investors, pitching France as a destination for capital at a time when economic diversification is high on the agenda for both sides. France already hosts around 150 Indian companies, while nearly 700 French firms operate in India, a footprint that continues to expand.

The focus then shifts to New Delhi, where Macron will visit the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Healthcare cooperation, particularly the application of artificial intelligence in medicine, is expected to take centrestage. Agreements on AI in health are slated to be signed, highlighting a shared interest in using advanced technology for public good rather than purely commercial ends.

Thursday will bring the political and technological high point of the visit. President Macron and Prime PM Modi will jointly inaugurate the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan. The event reflects a growing convergence between the two countries on shaping global AI governance, with an emphasis on ethics, inclusion and real-world impact.

Trade And Industry

Trade and industry remain a constant backdrop. Bilateral trade currently stands at around $15 billion, spanning sectors from defence, nuclear energy and space to aeronautics, agriculture and health. Macron's delegation includes over two dozen top business leaders, among them the heads of EDF, Schneider Electric, Eutelsat, Safran and Dassault, an unmistakable signal that France sees India as a long-term strategic and economic partner.

In a statement ahead of the visit, the Ministry of External Affairs said the talks would advance cooperation under the Horizon 2047 roadmap and include discussions on regional and global issues, notably the Indo-Pacific. The leaders will also jointly launch the India-France Year of Innovation, to be celebrated throughout 2026 in both countries.

Beyond agreements and announcements, Macron's tightly packed schedule reflects a relationship built on trust, strategic autonomy and shared ambitions. As France and India navigate a shifting global order, this visit is less about ceremonial diplomacy and more about reinforcing a partnership that is increasingly central to both nations' global outlook.