New Delhi: French President Emmanuel Macron will visit India from February 17 to 19 to hold bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and review progress in strategic cooperation across sectors, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Tuesday. The visit is expected to strengthen India–France ties in technology, innovation, Indo-Pacific cooperation and long-term strategic planning.
The upcoming visit follows Prime Minister Modi’s trip to France in February last year, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding collaboration in defence, technology, climate action and emerging industries. Officials said the latest visit will serve as a follow-up to those discussions and help advance joint initiatives already underway.
President Macron had earlier indicated his India visit while referring to joint diplomatic efforts in emerging technology governance, particularly artificial intelligence cooperation between the two countries.
Wide-ranging bilateral agenda planned
According to the MEA statement, the two leaders are expected to hold detailed talks covering a broad spectrum of bilateral cooperation areas. Central to the discussions will be the Horizon 2047 Roadmap — a long-term strategic framework adopted by India and France to guide their partnership over 25 years until the 100th year of India’s independence in 2047.
The roadmap covers defence and security, space, civil nuclear energy, trade and investment, digital technology, climate transition, education and people-to-people exchanges. Officials said the leaders will review milestones achieved so far and identify priority sectors for the next phase of cooperation.
The talks are also expected to include regional and global developments of mutual concern, with special focus on Indo-Pacific stability, maritime security and resilient supply chains.
Focus on Indo-Pacific cooperation
India and France are key partners in the Indo-Pacific region, and cooperation in this area has steadily expanded over the past decade. Both countries support a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific and have conducted joint naval exercises, maritime surveillance cooperation and coordinated strategic dialogues.
Diplomatic sources said Indo-Pacific collaboration will remain a core pillar of the discussions, especially in the context of maritime routes, regional security architecture and disaster response coordination.
France is one of the few European nations with a sustained strategic and military presence in the Indo-Pacific, making it a significant partner for India’s regional outreach.
India–France Year of Innovation to be launched
During the visit, the two leaders will jointly inaugurate the India–France Year of Innovation, a year-long initiative aimed at deepening collaboration in cutting-edge technologies, research partnerships, startup ecosystems, sustainability solutions and cultural exchange.
The programme is expected to bring together research institutions, universities, startups and industry leaders from both countries. Planned activities include joint innovation challenges, technology showcases, academic partnerships and cross-border incubation support.
Officials said the initiative is designed to boost co-development in areas such as artificial intelligence, clean energy, mobility solutions, space applications and digital public infrastructure.
AI cooperation and summit participation
President Macron is also scheduled to participate in the AI Impact Summit to be held during his visit. Artificial intelligence governance and safety have become an important area of India–France engagement over the past year.
Referring to earlier cooperation, Macron had said that France hosted a global AI summit in Paris that was co-chaired with Prime Minister Modi, and that the India visit would help advance outcomes from that engagement.
Both countries have supported frameworks that promote responsible AI development, safety standards and open innovation while encouraging international collaboration.
Technology diplomacy has emerged as a major pillar of the bilateral relationship, alongside defence and civil nuclear cooperation.
Strong strategic partnership background
India and France share a long-standing strategic partnership marked by cooperation in defence procurement, joint military exercises, space missions and nuclear energy projects. France has been among India’s key defence partners, and the relationship has broadened to include cyber security, counter-terror cooperation and climate initiatives.
Over the past few years, both sides have also increased collaboration in startup ecosystems, higher education partnerships and joint scientific research programmes.
Diplomatic observers note that regular high-level exchanges have helped maintain continuity and momentum in the partnership despite global geopolitical shifts.
Conclusion
President Macron’s three-day visit is expected to reinforce India–France strategic ties and accelerate cooperation under the Horizon 2047 roadmap. With focus areas spanning innovation, artificial intelligence, Indo-Pacific security and advanced technology partnerships, the visit is likely to set the tone for the next phase of bilateral engagement between the two countries.