French President Emmanuel Macron commenced a three-day trip to India, meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai. The visit is centered on enhancing collaboration in artificial intelligence and discussing a potential multibillion dollar deal for additional French Dassault Rafale fighter jets.
France aims to strengthen its military ties with New Delhi, with talks focusing on the potential procurement of 114 more Rafale jets. Modi, addressing Macron as his “dear friend” on social media, expressed eagerness to elevate bilateral relations during the visit with his wife Brigitte in India’s financial hub.
During their meeting, Macron lauded the rapid progress in relations with India, attributing it to the evolving global landscape. He emphasized the mutual desire of both nations to avoid dominance by any power or conflicts of a few.
Macron urged India to support a “moratorium on strikes” targeting Ukrainian civilians. The French President’s itinerary in India also included paying respects to the victims of the 2008 Mumbai attacks and meeting Bollywood personalities like Shabana Azmi and Manoj Bajpayee.
The visit follows India’s recent confirmation of its plans to acquire Rafale jets and the significant free trade agreement signed with the European Union in January. Macron is scheduled to attend an artificial intelligence summit in New Delhi over the next two days.
In recent years, New Delhi has diversified its sources of military equipment, seeking to reduce reliance on Russia while promoting domestic manufacturing capabilities.
