French President Emmanuel Macron began his three day official visit to India on February 17, 2026. During his visit he will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and participate in top level talks emphasizing cooperation in defense and artificial intelligence (AI) between the two countries, as well as broader strategic partnerships.
This visit highlights the evolution of the India France strategic partnership. The French are buying more Indian made weaponry and technology that has gone into these weapons, and there is a convergence of interests both in Indo Pacific stability as well as innovation.
Trying to boost defence ties between India and France is a major theme of this visit. The two countries are considering a deal worth several billion dollars for 114 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation, which would constitute India’s biggest ever defense order if finalized during Macron’s visit. The deal represents a change in India’s defence procurement landscape with an aim to make her air superiority capabilities modern and to support local manufacturing under “Make in India” initiative.
Also on the agenda for Macron’s visit is artificial intelligence cooperation. Macron is expected to attend the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi a worldwide summit gathering delegates from over 100 countries which is dedicated to AI governance, innovation and ethical technology. The talks will likely spearhead joint AI research, develop the common standards for trustworthy AI that are so desperately needed and push further forward co operation between India and France’s tech sectors.
Along with presupposing a shift in defense procurement to the Indian scenario, the talks will also cover trade, critical minerals and Indo Pacific strategy. Critical minerals are of particular importance in terms of industries according to geopolitics such as metallurgy, coal mine machinery manufacturing coking coal imports defense production policy including in Vietnam’s big advance toward ASEAN last month and economic imperative with neither partner willing to rely exclusively on any single source for essential materials.
Moreover, the goals of this visit can also be seen from a broader view. Horizon 2047 is a long term view on Indo French partnership through military technology, innovation and Indo Pacific civil society.
This Visit’s Strategic and Geopolitical Context
Long Standing Franco Indian Relations
Apart from symbolic meetings between state leaders, France and India have co chaired AI summits. The two countries collaborate on defence procurement, nuclear energy projects launched together since 2008, space cooperation programmes since then, and joint technological initiatives.
This February visit builds on the background of these efforts. As both nations seek a fuller, more multi polar global order through forging deeper technological partnerships, closer ties are being sought.
AI Impact Summit and Global Leadership
The AI Impact Summit is a strong point in India’s efforts to establish an AI discourse leader with international influence, one that looks out for the whole Global South. At the same time that Macron will travel for this conference, shows France’s harmony with these goals and also its shared interests in forming global AI governance frameworks.
Why This Visit Matters
A number of significant areas are worth probing that arise from this visit. Macron’s visit matters for several reasons
Defence Modernisation: Finalising or advancing in progress the Rafale deal could push forward India’s defence capabilities and improve industrial collaboration.
Technology Partnership: Taking AI cooperation to a global scale raises the level of policy dialogue above bilateral ties to multilateral leadership paths.
Economic and Strategic Alignment: Addressing strategic minerals, trade and IndoPacific stability all are clearly part of a broad partnership in relevance for both states’ long term ambitions.
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Final Word A Deepening Strategic Partnership
French President Macron’s visit to India in 2026 highlights the changing nature of France India relations, extending from traditional defence cooperation to new areas like artificial intelligence and governance over technology.
As global power dynamics change, the relationship between Paris and New Delhi one rooted in historical ties but increasingly focused on future technologies and strategic co operation will remain a key dimension of both nations’ foreign policy innovation agenda.
