French President Emmanuel Macron will undertake an official visit to India from February 17 to 19, 2026, following an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed. The three-day visit is expected to further deepen the India–France Strategic Partnership, with high-level discussions planned across defence, technology, innovation, and global geopolitical issues.
According to the MEA, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi will hold extensive talks aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in line with the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, a long-term framework designed to guide India–France relations over the next two decades. The roadmap focuses on strategic autonomy, economic growth, technological collaboration, and sustainable development.
A key component of the discussions will be cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, where both countries share converging interests in maritime security, freedom of navigation, and regional stability. India and France have increasingly aligned their approaches in the Indo-Pacific, viewing it as central to global trade, security, and emerging power dynamics.
India–France Year of Innovation 2026
One of the highlights of President Macron’s visit will be the joint inauguration of the India–France Year of Innovation 2026. Macron and Modi will travel to Mumbai to formally launch the initiative, which will be celebrated throughout the year in both countries.
The Year of Innovation aims to promote collaboration in cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, clean energy, startups, advanced manufacturing, space research, and digital public infrastructure. Governments, academic institutions, startups, and private sector players from both nations are expected to participate in innovation-focused exchanges, joint research projects, and business partnerships.
On February 19, President Macron will also attend the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, underscoring France’s and India’s shared emphasis on responsible and inclusive development of artificial intelligence. The summit is expected to bring together global policymakers, technology leaders, and researchers to discuss ethical AI, regulation, and real-world applications.
Strategic Partnership Gains Momentum
The visit comes less than a year after Prime Minister Modi’s trip to France in February 2025, reflecting sustained high-level engagement between the two countries. Officials describe the relationship as one built on mutual trust, strategic convergence, and long-term vision.
“The visit reflects the mutual trust and depth of the India–France Strategic Partnership, as well as the shared commitment of the two countries to deepen it further,” the MEA said in its official statement.
India and France cooperate closely across a wide range of sectors, including defence and military cooperation, space collaboration, civil nuclear energy, maritime security, counter-terrorism, and climate action. France remains one of India’s most reliable strategic partners in Europe, particularly in defence manufacturing and technology transfer.
As global uncertainties rise and multipolar dynamics reshape international relations, Macron’s visit is being viewed as an important step toward reinforcing a rules-based global order and expanding collaboration between two major democracies committed to strategic autonomy and innovation-led growth.
