French President Macron praised UPI, said- India created something which no other country did

At the India AI Impact Summit 2026 held in New Delhi, French President Emmanuel Macron praised India’s digital revolution. He described UPI as unique in the world and said that by providing digital identity to 1.4 billion people, India has achieved something which no other country has been able to do. Macron explained the change in technology in the lives of common Indians through a personal anecdote, which brought thunderous applause in the gathering.

Macron, who was present as the chief guest at the summit, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that India’s digital public infrastructure has become an example for the world. He described the success of UPI as India’s biggest achievement of inclusive innovation.

Macron’s personal story and the power of UPI

At the beginning of his address, Macron gave the example of a street vendor from Mumbai. He said that ten years ago, a street vendor in Mumbai could not open a bank account. No address, no documents, no access. Today, the same seller accepts payments from anyone in the country on their phone instantly and for free. India has created something that no other country has created: a digital identity for 1.4 billion people.

The French President said that after hearing this statement the audience applauded loudly. Macron described India’s digital identity and UPI as a life-changing revolution for the common man.

Famous story of Jaipur with PM Modi

This is not the first time that Macron praised UPI. During his state visit to India in 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Jaipur made a payment through UPI while drinking tea in a kulhar at a shop near Hawa Mahal. Macron had then expressed surprise after seeing the transactions taking place on mobiles. Modi had explained to him in detail about the speed, simplicity and wide reach of UPI.

UPI launched in France

In July 2023, Prime Minister Modi had announced that soon Indian travelers will be able to use UPI in France also. This plan was completed in February 2024, when France became the first country in Europe where UPI started being accepted. The partnership between NPCI International Payments Limited and Lyra enables UPI payments at merchant locations in France.

This allowed Indian students and tourists studying in France to easily make digital payments through their existing UPI apps. Macron’s repeated praise of UPI is a testament to the growing global recognition of India’s digital public infrastructure.