114 Rafale jets carry Macron to India

French President Emmanuel Macron will visit India from 17 to 19 February, as New Delhi considers purchasing 114 Rafale fighter jets.

During this fourth visit to India since his election to a first term in 2017, Macron will take part in a summit focused on artificial intelligence.

His most recent visit to India was in January 2024, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s latest trip to France dates back to February 2025.

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The French presidency stated that this three-day visit will make it possible to “take a new step in our partnership” and “demonstrate its depth,” grounded in a “shared understanding of strategic autonomy.”

It also noted that France and India will support multilateralism this year through their respective presidencies of the G7 and the BRICS.

The two countries will also focus on the challenges of artificial intelligence, which will be at the heart of Thursday’s summit in New Delhi, including investment, “scientific research in the public interest,” and “making technological tools accessible to all,” according to the Élysée.

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On the bilateral level, defense remains a central pillar of relations between Paris and New Delhi. India announced on Thursday its intention to purchase new Rafale fighter jets, potentially totaling 114 aircraft.

France is also seeking to diversify its trade relations with India, the world’s most populous country, amid global geopolitical uncertainty, particularly as the European Union and India have recently concluded a major free trade agreement.

Macron will first travel to Mumbai, in western India and the country’s financial capital, to meet with Narendra Modi, before remotely inaugurating an Airbus helicopter assembly line in Bangalore, in the south.

The French president will also hold discussions with representatives of the Indian film industry regarding potential cooperation and highlight France’s attractiveness as a filming destination.

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