French President Emmanuel Macron set foot on Indian soil on Monday night. He is not alone – his wife Lady Brigitte Macron is accompanying him. They have multiple programmes scheduled in India over the next three days.
Governor Acharya Devvrat and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were present at Mumbai airport on Monday night to welcome them.
The French President has arrived in India for the fourth time since coming to power in 2017. The AI Impact Summit is scheduled to be held in India from February 17 to 19. The French President was invited by India to participate in it. At the same time, the two leaders will hold bilateral meetings in Mumbai.
Special highlights of the three-day visit
French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to hold a face-to-face meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Lok Bhavan in Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already welcomed the French President to India on his X handle. The Prime Minister has also addressed him as his "dear friend".
Main topics of discussion
The French President is scheduled to go to New Delhi on Wednesday after Tuesday. During this three-day visit, artificial intelligence or AI (Artificial Intelligence) and strategic cooperation between the two countries may be discussed.
At the same time, special emphasis will be given to further strengthening defence cooperation between India and France, according to sources. Focus will also be given to joint production of helicopters and HAMMER precision-guided missiles, and bringing new momentum to defence cooperation.
Special announcement on Rafale in the meeting
The most important issue of this three-day visit is going to be the Rafale fighter aircraft deal. New Delhi is set to purchase a total of 114 Rafales from Dassault Aviation at a cost of ₹3.60 lakh crore.
After Tuesday's bilateral meeting, the two leaders will jointly launch the 'India France Year of Innovation 2026' in the evening. On this occasion, vehicle movement has been banned in several parts of South Mumbai from 2 PM to 9 PM. They are likely to deliver an exemplary address involving business leaders, startup founders, researchers and technology innovators from both countries.
Besides, emphasis is expected to be placed on 'Make in India' as well. Discussions may also take place on drones, naval aircraft, helicopters and advanced defence systems.
