In a significant diplomatic move, President Emmanuel Macron of France lands in Mumbai late February 16 with First Lady Brigitte, embarking on a three-day official visit to India. The Ministry of External Affairs has detailed a schedule brimming with bilateral meetings, innovation launches, and a landmark AI summit participation.
Day one, February 17, opens with a 3:15 PM rendezvous at Lok Bhawan between Macron and PM Narendra Modi. This pivotal meeting will feature MoU exchanges and a joint press statement on enhanced cooperation. Evenings spotlight progress: the India-France Innovation Forum at Taj Mahal Palace Hotel at 5:20 PM, and the glamorous kickoff of the India-France Year of Innovation and Cultural Commemoration at Gateway of India at 8:15 PM—a year-long celebration extending to 2026.
February 18 brings Macron to New Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam by 1 PM. On the 19th, his morning starts early at 8:45 AM at the same venue for the much-anticipated AI Impact Summit. Highlights include a 9:15 AM family photo, 9:40 AM opening ceremony address, pavilion tours at 10:40 AM, ministerial family photo at 11:30 AM, and a working lunch post-plenary at noon. He wraps up and heads home at 3:45 PM.
Talks will advance the Horizon 2047 framework, tackling mutual interests in global and regional issues like Indo-Pacific stability. The summit, hosted February 16-20 and led by PM Modi, is a Global South milestone, emphasizing AI’s transformative power in governance, public delivery, inclusive development, and India’s 2047 goals. India’s diverse languages position it uniquely for advanced, multilingual AI ecosystems.
This exchange, post-PM Modi’s French sojourn, symbolizes unwavering commitment to strategic partnership and peace.