Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron as he arrived in Mumbai close to midnight, marking the start of his three-day visit to India. This is Macron’s fourth visit to the country since assuming office in 2017.
Taking to X, PM Modi said, “Welcome to India! India looks forward to your visit and to advancing our bilateral ties to new heights. I am confident that our discussions will further strengthen cooperation across sectors and contribute to global progress.”
“See you in Mumbai and later in Delhi, my dear friend @EmmanuelMacron,” he wrote.
Welcome to India!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 17, 2026
India looks forward to your visit and to advancing our bilateral ties to new heights. I am confident that our discussions will further strengthen cooperation across sectors and contribute to global progress.
See you in Mumbai and later in Delhi, my dear friend… https://t.co/5gDTDt6llp
Macron had earlier posted a picture from his flight to India, writing, “En route to India! Three days from Mumbai to New Delhi to take our strategic partnership even further.” He added that he was travelling with “business leaders and the economic, industrial, cultural and digital players who give real, tangible life to the ties between India and France.”
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“Together, we will go even further in our cooperation. See you tomorrow, my dear friend @NarendraModi!”, he wrote.
Focus on strategic partnership
The visit comes at a time when India and France are seeking to strengthen collaboration in areas ranging from defence to technology. Discussions between the two leaders are expected to touch upon artificial intelligence, particularly in the context of the ongoing India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi. There is a possibility that Macron may attend parts of the summit on Wednesday and Thursday, the Hindustan Times reported.
Defence cooperation is also high on the agenda. Talks are likely to include a potential multibillion-dollar agreement involving Rafale fighter jets manufactured by Dassault Aviation.
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Rafale deal gains momentum
Last week, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the Defence Acquisition Council cleared the procurement of additional Rafale jets, with officials indicating that a majority would be manufactured in India. Earlier this month, a proposal worth ₹3.60 lakh crore to acquire 114 new jets received clearance.
The visit is also taking place shortly after the signing of the India-European Union free trade agreement in January, a development that has added fresh momentum to economic ties between New Delhi and European partners.
