Tech, Defence, Security: What's On Macron's India Visit Agenda

When French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in India from February 17 to 19, 2026, his visit will underline the steady expansion of the India-France partnership into one of the most wide-ranging and future-orientated relationships New Delhi maintains with a European power. 

Hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the visit comes at a moment when bilateral cooperation is being shaped as much by emerging technologies and global governance as by traditional strategic interests.

What's On Agenda

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, PM Modi and Macron will hold detailed discussions on strengthening cooperation across a broad spectrum of areas under the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, the long-term vision guiding ties through the centenary of India's independence. 

Defence and security cooperation-long a pillar of the relationship-will remain central, but equal emphasis is expected on clean energy, civil nuclear collaboration, space, and cutting-edge technologies. Regional and global issues, particularly developments in the Indo-Pacific, will also feature prominently, reflecting shared concerns over stability, maritime security, and respect for international rules.

India's AI Summit In New Delhi

A major focal point of the visit will be Macron's participation in India's AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on February 19. His attendance signals the growing convergence between India and France on artificial intelligence governance. Both countries have positioned themselves as advocates of responsible and inclusive AI-seeking to harness innovation while addressing ethical, security, and societal risks. 

Over the past year, Paris and New Delhi have stepped up dialogue on trusted digital ecosystems, data governance, and cooperation between research institutions, aligning their approaches as global competition over technology intensifies.

India-France Year Of Innovation

Beyond diplomacy and policy, the visit carries strong symbolic and economic weight. PM Modi and Macron will be in Mumbai to jointly inaugurate the India-France Year of Innovation, to be celebrated throughout 2026 in both countries. 

The initiative aims to deepen collaboration between startups, universities, and industry, building on successful partnerships in aerospace, defence manufacturing, climate technologies, urban mobility, and health innovation. It reflects a shared belief that people-to-people and innovation-led linkages will anchor the partnership for decades.

The visit also follows PM Modi's trip to France in February 2025, which reaffirmed the personal rapport between the two leaders and the depth of strategic trust between the countries. That momentum has been reinforced by recent diplomatic activity involving Europe more broadly, including the political push toward an EU-India trade deal announced recently. France has been a strong supporter of closer India-EU economic integration, seeing India as a key partner in diversifying supply chains and strengthening Europe's engagement with the Indo-Pacific.

Taken together, Macron's 2026 visit reflects a relationship that has matured beyond episodic cooperation. It highlights India and France's shared ambition to shape global debates-from security to technology-while grounding their partnership in innovation, economic opportunity, and long-term strategic alignment.