French Head of State Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the press on Tuesday following a bilateral meeting in Bombay. The two partners do not want to "endure any form of hegemony" nor the "conflictuality of a few", declared the French president, who welcomed a "remarkable acceleration" in the relationship between France and India.
Published on: 02/16/2026 - 9:17 p.m. Modified on: 02/17/2026 - 3:26 p.m.
Arriving in Bombay on Monday for a three-day official visit intended to strengthen an already dense partnership, Emmanuel Macron welcomed, Tuesday February 17, a “remarkable acceleration” of the relationship between France and India in response to the “change in the international order”.
The two partners do not want to "endure any form of hegemony" nor the "conflictuality of a few", continued the French president to the press and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following a bilateral meeting in Bombay. Emmanuel Macron also affirmed that the two partners "believe in international trade" and reject "methods of coercion", in reference to the war of customs duties imposed on the world by Donald Trump.
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The strategic partnership between the two countries “has no limits”, rejoiced Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The ties between India and France are very special. France is one of India's oldest strategic partners," he underlined, before adding that "the Indo-French partnership has no limits. It extends from the depths of the oceans to the highest mountains."
“114 Rafale, 30 billion euros, it’s the contract of the century”
The French head of state, accompanied by his wife Brigitte, landed on Monday in the country's financial capital, on the shores of the Arabian Sea. He is then due to travel to New Delhi on Wednesday and Thursday for a summit on artificial intelligence. “Three days from Bombay to New Delhi to take our strategic partnership even further,” he wrote on his X account upon his arrival.
His visit, the fourth to India since 2017, comes under the best auspices after this country's confirmation on Thursday of its intention to place a record order for French Rafale combat aircraft and the signing at the end of January of a mega-free trade agreement between the European Union and India.
“Negotiations are progressing,” the entourage of French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday, saying they were “very confident” about the conclusion of a commercial agreement with India, which has already ordered 62 copies of this device manufactured by the manufacturer Dassault.
“114 Rafale, 30 billion euros, it’s the contract of the century! A form of apotheosis!”, notes Christophe Jaffrelot, specialist on India at the Center for International Research (CERI) at Sciences Po in Paris. Discussions on the 114 Rafale, which will be intended for the Air Force and largely manufactured in India, have yet to be completed with the manufacturer Dassault. But the Élysée already says it is “optimistic” about the conclusion of this “historic contract”. In the meantime, it will be at the heart of the visit.
The French President and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also inaugurate on Tuesday, by videoconference from Bombay, an assembly line for Airbus H125 civil and military helicopters installed near Bengaluru, in the south of the country.
"We are seeking through this visit to further strengthen cooperation" with New Delhi and to "diversify" France's economic and commercial partnerships, notes the Élysée, at a time when India, the most populous country in the world (1.4 billion inhabitants), is on the way to becoming the fourth largest economy in the world. And thus respond to the growing uncertainties generated by Donald Trump with his war on customs duties and his permanent diplomatic blows, as well as to the rise of China.
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The bosses of Dassault, Schneider Electric and Mistral AI are part of the trip
The volume of bilateral trade, driven by defense and aeronautics – the Indian market is mainly equipped with Airbus – is of the order of 15 billion euros. Added to this is nearly 13 billion euros of French foreign direct investment (FDI) in India.
Four ministers are on the trip, including those of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin and of the Economy Roland Lescure. Around a hundred French CEOs, including those of Dassault, Schneider Electric and Mistral AI, and heads of SMEs and startups will also participate in the trip.
“Announcements” and “contracts” are expected in health, agriculture but also AI, a sector in which Paris aims for greater cooperation with India, said the Élysée.
H, a French AI startup, will announce the establishment of partnerships in the field of hospitals.
Emmanuel Macron will inaugurate the Franco-Indian Center for AI in Global Health in New Delhi, before opening the AI summit on Thursday with Narendra Modi.
The two leaders will also be keen to take care of their personal relationship, which has been going strong since 2017. Emmanuel Macron invited Narendra Modi as guest of honor to the July 14 military parade in 2023. The Indian Prime Minister in return rolled out the red carpet six months later for the national holiday of Republic Day, before being welcomed with all respect during his last visit to France in February 2025, already for an AI summit. “There is apparently a good alchemy, a good personal equation,” observes Christophe Jaffrelot.
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However, there remains a big bone of contention, Ukraine, India having never condemned its invasion by Russia in 2022. "But if the Indians stop buying Russian oil [under the threat of American sanctions, Editor's note], we will not blame them for abstaining at the UN", notes the researcher.
With AFP
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