Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended a warm welcome to French President Emmanuel Macron on his fourth visit to India, expressing confidence that the trip will elevate the India-France strategic partnership to new heights.
“Welcome to India! India looks forward to your visit and to advancing our bilateral ties to new heights. I am confident that our discussions will further strengthen cooperation across sectors and contribute to global progress,” PM Modi said in a post on X, adding that he would meet President Macron in Mumbai and later in New Delhi.
President Macron, accompanied by First Lady Brigitte Macron, arrived in Mumbai earlier in the day and was received at the airport by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The visit, which runs through February 19, comes at the invitation of PM Modi and underscores sustained momentum in the India-France strategic partnership, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
PM Modi and President Macron are scheduled to hold bilateral talks at Lok Bhavan in Mumbai, where they will review progress under the India-France Strategic Partnership and exchange views on key regional and global developments, including cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
The leaders will also jointly inaugurate the India–France Year of Innovation 2026, a forward-looking initiative aimed at strengthening collaboration in research, startups, and advanced technologies.
Later, the two leaders will address business leaders, startup founders, researchers, and innovators from both countries.
In a post on X before his arrival, President Macron said he was travelling to India “to take our strategic partnership even further,” accompanied by business, industrial, cultural, and digital leaders who contribute to strengthening bilateral ties.
Following their engagements in Mumbai, the two leaders will travel to New Delhi to attend the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam. The five-day summit marks the first global AI gathering hosted in the Global South and is anchored on three pillars – People, Planet, and Progress.
