New Delhi: French President Emmanuel Macron is arriving on a four-day visit to India. Macron is reportedly arriving in Mumbai on Monday, February 16th. He will meet with PM Modi the following day, Tuesday, February 17th. The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed this news.
Following the meeting, PM Modi and the French President will travel to New Delhi to attend the AI Impact Summit 2026. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the two leaders will sign several agreements in Mumbai and then issue a press statement. The India-France Innovation Forum will be held at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, followed by the India-France Year of Innovation and a cultural commemoration at the Gateway of India.
The Ministry stated that Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron will visit Mumbai and Delhi from February 16th to 19th. The “Year of Innovation 2026” initiative will be celebrated throughout the year in both countries and aims to deepen cooperation in innovation, technology, research, and people-to-people exchanges. This will be French President Macron’s fourth visit to India, at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi, signaling continued growth in the India-France Strategic Partnership, with a special focus on artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation and new technologies.
Earlier, the French Embassy in India shared a post on social media on Friday, stating that President Macron would visit India for bilateral events and participate in the AI Impact Summit, marking another important chapter in the growing relationship between New Delhi and Paris. According to the French Embassy in India, President Macron’s first visit to India in 2018 added a new dimension to France-India relations. On this, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the AI Summit, which will be held from Monday, February 16th to February 20th, is based on the three principles of people, planet, and progress.
Bangladesh sent invitations for the swearing-in ceremony.
It should be noted that India’s neighboring country, Bangladesh, is going to swear in a new government on February 17th. For this, it has sent invitations to approximately 13 countries, including India. Due to Macron’s visit to India, PM Modi’s visit to Bangladesh seems unlikely. A senior government representative may attend in his place. However, no official statement has been issued regarding this yet. Meanwhile, PM Modi also called Tarique Rahman and congratulated him on the BNP’s victory in the 2026 Bangladesh parliamentary elections.
