India - France relations.
- Thread starter Gautam
- Start date
French President Emmanuel Macron said that he would pay a visit to India next month, with New Delhi set to host the AI Impact Summit. He made the remarks while addressing the Diplomatic Corps yesterday, where he talked about the successes of French diplomacy in 2025.
The India-AI Impact Summit 2026 was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit and is scheduled for February 19-20 in New Delhi.
It will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, earlier during a meeting with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot, had also mentioned that India would be expecting President Macron soon. The two countries are active in the international arena, they are committed to multipolarity, and their working together is important not only for the bilateral relationship but also for stabilising global politics.
Defence co-op will likely be on the agenda. Billions of dollars on the table:
French President Emmanuel Macron said that he would pay a visit to India next month, with New Delhi set to host the AI Impact Summit. He made the remarks while addressing the Diplomatic Corps yesterday, where he talked about the successes of French diplomacy in 2025.
The India-AI Impact Summit 2026 was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit and is scheduled for February 19-20 in New Delhi.
It will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, earlier during a meeting with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot, had also mentioned that India would be expecting President Macron soon. The two countries are active in the international arena, they are committed to multipolarity, and their working together is important not only for the bilateral relationship but also for stabilising global politics.
GTRE-Safran 120kN turbofan engine
114 Rafale for MRFA
Perhaps a last minute push for P-75AS/Batch 2 Kalvari SSK?
Ministry of Defence
Raksha Mantri & his French counterpart to co-chair 6th Annual Defence Dialogue in Bengaluru
Raksha Mantri & his French counterpart to co-chair 6th Annual Defence Dialogue in Bengaluru
Posted On: 15 FEB 2026 2:55PM by PIB DelhiRaksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will co-chair the 6th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue with Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs of France Ms. Catherine Vautrin in Bengaluru, Karnataka on February 17, 2026. The meeting will review the entire gamut of bilateral defence cooperation, with focus on expanding industrial collaboration.
During the meeting, a defence cooperation agreement is expected to be renewed for another 10 years, with an MoU on Joint Venture for manufacturing of Hammer missiles likely to be signed in the presence of both Defence Ministers. An announcement is also expected with respect to reciprocal deployment of officers at the Indian Army and French Land Forces establishments.
The two Ministers are also expected to witness the virtual inauguration of the H125 Light Utility Helicopter Final Assembly of Tata Airbus by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and French President Mr. Emmanuel Macron at Vemagal, Karnataka.
Defence has traditionally formed an important pillar of the relationship between the two countries. The strong and enduring bilateral ties were vividly reflected in 2024-2025 through a series of high-profile exchanges. PM Modi was the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade in July 2023, before the French President graced the Republic Day Parade 2024 as the Chief Guest.
The recent India-EU Security & Defence Partnership marks a significant step in deepening collective engagement with European nations. Military-to-Military cooperation is on an increase. India and France have been regularly carrying out three major exercises - Exercise Shakti with Army, Exercise Varuna with Navy, and Exercise Garuda with Air Force, and several other opportunity engagements.
This would be the maiden visit of Ms. Catherine Vautrin to India after she took over as the French Defence Minister on October 12, 2025. The India-France Annual Defence Dialogue is a structured ministerial-level bilateral meeting to review and guide defence & security cooperation. The 5th edition of the meeting was held in France from October 11-13, 2023.
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2228366®=3&lang=1
I was in 9th grade in 2006 when i first came to know about this so called mother of all defense deals to buy Rafales. Finally now it seems we are gonna buy them.
If you see the all the Rafales retire when you're 75 , India has truly progressed . OTOH if you live up to 85 & see them fall from the skies irrespective the progress we've made , we'd still be the same with the same old mentality.
Pree
View attachment VID-20260217-WA0001.mp4
President Macron jogging early morning at Marine Drive. Btw - his security detail don't inspire much confidence. One looks clearly overweight & over age .
Does that mean age relaxation in employment is now extended to the security staff as well ?
Also , sincerely hope budget cuts aren't impeding Presidential security.
View attachment VID-20260217-WA0001.mp4
President Macron jogging early morning at Marine Drive. Btw - his security detail don't inspire much confidence. One looks clearly overweight & over age .
Does that mean age relaxation in employment is now extended to the security staff as well ?
Also , sincerely hope budget cuts aren't impeding Presidential security.
France's Macron in India to boost Rafale deal talks, AI ties
Emmanuel Macron is in India at a time when the country is looking to upgrade its air force, with the Indian government giving preliminary approval to buy more than 100 additional Rafale jets last week.
www.dw.com
French President Emmanuel Macron is in India for a three-day visit aimed at shoring up defense and AI ties with the South Asian country.
Macron met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday in Mumbai, where the leaders were to discuss expanding military partnership between the two countries.
After meeting with Modi, Macron praised the "remarkable acceleration" of relations with India. The French leader said the shift came in response to the "changing international order," adding that neither France nor India wanted to "be subjected to any form of hegemony" or the "conflict of a few."
Macron is also to attend the global AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi in the next days. "Through this visit, we seek to further strengthen cooperation" with India and to diversify France's economic and trade partnerships, Macron's office said.
India – France Joint Statement (February 17, 2026)