French President Emmanuel Macron Concludes Landmark India Visit with Focus on AI and Digital Cooperation
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday concluded his three-day visit to India, expressing gratitude with a heartfelt "Thank You India!" message on social media platform X. His trip centered around the India AI Impact Summit 2026 and included extensive bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signaling a deepening partnership between Paris and New Delhi in strategic sectors like artificial intelligence and innovation.
Warm Welcome and Summit Highlights
In a post on X, Macron shared a video capturing key moments from his visit, accompanied by a note appreciating the warm hospitality he received. Addressing the India AI Impact Summit 2026, he began his speech with a "Namaste" that drew applause from the audience. Macron remarked, "Thank you very much for welcoming us to this magnificent city, in this magnificent country. It's great to be back after my 2024 state visit for this Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit hosted by you, Prime Minister."
Praise for India's Digital Transformation
Macron lauded India's remarkable digital advancements over the past decade, citing specific examples of progress. He stated, "10 years ago, a street vendor in Mumbai could not open a bank account. No address, no papers, no access and today the same vendor accepts payments on his phone." He emphasized India's unique achievements, adding, "India built something that no other country in the world has built. A digital identity for 1.4 billion people. A payment system that now processes 20 billion transactions every month. A health infrastructure that has issued 500 million digital health IDs. Here are the results. They call it the India Stack Open Interoperable Sovereign."
Engagements with Tech Leaders
On the sidelines of the summit, Macron held significant meetings with global technology executives to bolster digital cooperation. He met with Google CEO Sundar Pichai to discuss the priorities of the French G7 Presidency, posting on X, "Solutions to our digital challenges are not found on Google, but built with Google and all stakeholders. At the Delhi AI Summit, together with Sundar Pichai, we discussed the priorities of the French G7 Presidency. And I shared one message: Choose France!" Pichai responded, affirming France's role, "With its leadership of the G7, France has a pivotal role to play in unlocking the opportunities of AI, and we are proud to be a partner."
Macron also engaged in constructive talks with Meta's chief AI officer Alexandr Wang, focusing on France's offerings in talent, research, and data centers. He wrote, "Constructive discussions with Alexandr Wang from Meta at the Delhi AI Summit. We discussed what France has to offer: talent, research, and data centres. In two words: Choose France!" Additionally, they reviewed measures to protect young people on social media, with Macron noting, "We also reviewed measures to protect young people on social media, in particular the proposal I support to ban access for those under 15. Good news: Meta is committed to moving forward with us."
Strengthened India-France Partnership
Macron highlighted that bilateral relations between India and France are at their peak, stating, "And as for the bilateral relationship, I really believe it's at the highest point, and we want to do much more again because it's based on our relationship." Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Macron in New Delhi, reinforcing the strategic partnership. Macron described India's progress in digital governance and technology as a global benchmark, underscoring continued momentum in collaboration on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
