Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X to welcome the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, stating that India eagerly anticipates his trip. He voiced optimism that their upcoming talks would deepen collaboration across multiple sectors and play a meaningful role in advancing global development and shared international goals.

“See you in Mumbai and later in Delhi, my dear friend @EmmanuelMacron,” Modi wrote on X.

Modi replied to Macron’s X post where the French President posted a picture of the view from an aircraft window, seemingly taken during his flight to India late on Monday.

“En route to India! Three days from Mumbai to New Delhi to take our strategic partnership even further,” Macron wrote on X.

Accompanied by business leaders and the economic, industrial, cultural and digital players, he expressed willingness in boosting ties between India and France during his three-day visit.

“Together, we will go even further in our cooperation. See you tomorrow, my dear friend @NarendraModi,” he wrote.

Indo–French Talks

Discussions between Narendra Modi and Emmanuel Macron are expected to place significant emphasis on artificial intelligence, particularly against the backdrop of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 being held in New Delhi. There is a strong possibility that Macron may attend sessions of the summit on Wednesday and Thursday, underlining the importance both nations attach to emerging technologies.

Beyond AI collaboration, defence cooperation is likely to dominate the agenda. According to earlier reports by Hindustan Times, talks could advance a multibillion-dollar agreement involving Rafale fighter jets manufactured by Dassault Aviation, as France seeks to further deepen its strategic military engagement with India.

A proposed contract for 114 additional French fighter aircraft is also reportedly on the table, potentially marking a major expansion of the existing fleet.

Rafale Deal Developments

Last week, Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the procurement of additional Rafale jets. Officials indicated that a substantial portion of the aircraft would be produced in India, reinforcing the government’s push for domestic manufacturing in the defence sector.

The latest development comes after a massive ₹3.60 lakh crore proposal to acquire 114 additional Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation received clearance earlier this February, according to a report by Hindustan Times.

The momentum for the agreement was further strengthened by the signing of a free trade pact between India and the European Union in January, which is believed to have paved the way for smoother negotiations and reinforced broader strategic and economic cooperation.