French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing for his fourth visit to India, invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This trip underscores the robust momentum in the India-France strategic partnership, with a sharp focus on artificial intelligence cooperation and emerging technologies.

The French Embassy in India announced the visit via a post on X. President Macron will engage in bilateral meetings and attend the AI Impact Summit, highlighting yet another milestone in the evolving relationship between New Delhi and Paris.

This visit builds on a foundation of deepening collaboration across multiple domains. These include defence, space exploration, civil nuclear energy, climate initiatives, education, and people-to-people exchanges.

Macron's inaugural trip to India in 2018 opened a fresh chapter in bilateral ties. It bolstered the strategic partnership through intensified cooperation in defence, space, civil nuclear energy, climate action, education, and cultural links.

In 2023, Macron returned for the G20 Summit hosted by India. Discussions there revolved around global economic governance, climate action, sustainable development, and inclusive growth, echoing the summit's theme of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—One Earth, One Family, One Future."

The French leader's 2024 state visit proved particularly landmark. As chief guest for India's 75th Republic Day parade, it cemented France's status as the most frequently invited nation for such honours, with six invitations over the years.

During that 2024 visit, Modi and Macron proclaimed 2026 as the India-France Year of Innovation. This initiative signals a forward-thinking alliance centred on technology, research, and collaborative advancements.

The upcoming visit, scheduled from 17 to 19 February, will see Macron participate in the AI Impact Summit. Billed as the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South, it will take place in New Delhi, emphasising the priority both nations place on critical technologies like AI.

Prime Minister Modi and President Macron will hold comprehensive talks. These will advance cooperation under the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, a long-term blueprint for the strategic partnership.

The leaders will jointly launch the India-France Year of Innovation 2026 in Mumbai. This year-long programme, spanning both countries, seeks to enhance ties in innovation, technology, research, and interpersonal exchanges.

Discussions will also cover pivotal regional and global matters. Topics include Indo-Pacific cooperation, reflecting the increasing strategic alignment between India and France.

The visit follows Prime Minister Modi's trip to France in February 2025. There, he co-chaired the AI Action Summit with Macron, illustrating the mutual trust and depth characterising their partnership.

India and France share historically close relations, underpinned by a Strategic Partnership launched on 26 January 1998. This was India's inaugural such alliance, designed to bolster strategic autonomy through enhanced bilateral engagement.

Defence and security, civil nuclear issues, and space form the core pillars of this cooperation. A robust Indo-Pacific dimension has since been integrated, broadening its scope.

The AI Impact Summit runs from 16 to 20 February at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Structured as a five-day event, it encompasses policy dialogues, research forums, industry showcases, and public engagement.

Anchored on three "Sutras"—People, Planet, and Progress—the summit will convene global leaders, policymakers, tech firms, innovators, and experts. They will explore AI's transformative potential in governance, innovation, and sustainable development.

Complementing the summit, the India AI Impact Expo covers over 70,000 square metres. It will host more than 300 exhibitors from 30 countries across 10 thematic pavilions, demonstrating AI's shift from experimental stages to widespread deployment.

The event aligns seamlessly with India's development-oriented AI strategy. It dovetails with the IndiaAI Mission and Digital India Initiative, prioritising actionable, people-focused outcomes from global AI discourse.

This visit reaffirms the enduring strategic synergy between two nations committed to mutual progress. As they navigate shared challenges, India and France continue to forge pathways for innovation and global stability.

Based On ANI Report