Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday warmly welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron on his arrival in India, expressing optimism that the visit will elevate bilateral cooperation and contribute to global progress.

President Macron arrived in Mumbai earlier in the day, where he was received at the airport by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Governor Acharya Devvrat. His visit comes at the invitation of PM Modi to participate in the India AI Impact Summit 2026 and to hold high-level bilateral engagements.

In a message welcoming the French leader, Prime Minister Modi said India looks forward to advancing ties with France to new heights. He voiced confidence that their discussions would strengthen collaboration across sectors and reinforce the long-standing India–France Strategic Partnership.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to travel to Mumbai later in the day for bilateral talks with President Macron at Lok Bhavan. According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the discussions will include a comprehensive review of progress achieved under the strategic partnership framework. The leaders are expected to explore ways to deepen cooperation in traditional sectors such as defence, space, civil nuclear energy, and trade, while also expanding collaboration in emerging and future-oriented areas including artificial intelligence, clean energy, innovation, and advanced technologies.

The two sides will also exchange views on pressing regional and global developments, reflecting the growing alignment between New Delhi and Paris on key geopolitical issues.

Later in the evening, PM Modi and President Macron will jointly inaugurate the India–France Year of Innovation 2026. The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration between startups, researchers, academic institutions, and industry leaders from both nations. The leaders will address an audience comprising business executives, entrepreneurs, innovators, and technology experts.

This marks President Macron’s fourth visit to India and his first official engagement in Mumbai. The visit underscores the deepening strategic, economic, and technological ties between the two countries, which have steadily expanded over the past decade.

Analysts view the visit as a significant step toward reinforcing India–France cooperation at a time of evolving global power dynamics and increasing focus on resilient partnerships in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.