India and France are set to expand cooperation in defence, trade, technology, and artificial intelligence as PM Modi hosts Emmanuel Macron for bilateral talks in Mumbai
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on Tuesday for discussions aimed at upgrading defence, trade, and technology ties between the two countries.
Macron’s three-day visit to India will also include participation in the AI summit in Delhi on Thursday. Official sources said nearly a dozen agreements and MoUs are expected to be signed following the bilateral meeting, covering areas such as defence, trade, skilling, health, and supply chains.
Year of innovation launched
The two leaders will jointly inaugurate the India-France Year of Innovation, which will be celebrated in both countries through 2026, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. The India-France Year of Innovation and Cultural Commemoration will be launched at the Gateway of India on Tuesday evening.
Last week, the Indian government approved a proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets under a government-to-government framework from France.
Defence dialogue and industrial roadmap
On Tuesday, India and France will also hold the 6th Annual Defence Dialogue in Bengaluru. The meeting is expected to renew the defence cooperation agreement for another 10 years.
Talks are likely to focus on enhancing cooperation involving air and maritime assets, in line with the Defence Industrial Roadmap agreed in 2024.
PM Modi and Macron are expected to review regional and global developments, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the situation in Gaza and the Indo-Pacific region, where India considers France an important partner.
With uncertainty surrounding the Quad, India views its partnership with France, a resident power in the Indian Ocean, as increasingly significant.
Horizon 2047 and AI roadmap
Discussions will also cover strengthening cooperation across a wide spectrum of areas under the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, adopted three years ago to guide bilateral engagement over the next 25 years.
Macron’s participation in the
AI summit follows his co-chairing of the same summit with Modi in France last year. At that time, both leaders underscored their shared commitment to concrete actions to ensure that the global AI sector supports social, economic and environmental outcomes in the public interest.
They are also expected to assess progress on the India-France Roadmap on AI, rooted in what officials describe as a “philosophical convergence” centred on developing safe, open, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence.
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