Macron India Visit: PM Modi reaches Mumbai for meeting with French President Macron, will discuss bilateral issues
Mumbai. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Mumbai on Tuesday for bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar welcomed the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister reached Lok Bhawan (earlier Raj Bhawan) in South Mumbai from the airport for the meeting with Macron. Governor Acharya Devvrat welcomed him.
The two leaders will review the progress made in the India-France strategic partnership. Their talks will focus on strengthening strategic ties and expanding them into new and emerging areas. Modi and Macron will also exchange views on issues of regional and global importance. President Macron is on an official visit to India from 17 to 19 February at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi to participate in the IMPACT Summit hosted by India. In Mumbai he will participate in bilateral summit with Modi.
Emmanuel Macron came on a three-day official visit
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Mumbai late night on a three-day official visit to India. As per the schedule, he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the talks between the two leaders are indicative of taking the India-France strategic partnership to new heights in the fields of defence, Artificial Intelligence (AI), critical minerals and emerging technologies.
Prime Minister Modi personally welcomed him on social media, writing, “My dear friend Emmanuel Macron, welcome to India. India is eager to take our bilateral relations to new heights. See you in Mumbai and later in Delhi.” Both the leaders will hold extensive bilateral discussions at Lok Bhawan in Mumbai today. He is expected to review the progress made under the India-France strategic partnership.
They will exchange views on regional and global issues, including Indo-Pacific cooperation, and witness the signing of nearly a dozen MoUs related to defence, trade, skills development, healthcare, supply chains and critical minerals. Today at 5:15 pm, Prime Minister Modi and President Macron will jointly inaugurate the ‘India-France Innovation Year 2026’ at the Gateway of India. He will address a high-level gathering of business leaders, startups, researchers and innovators from both the countries, marking the formal launch of the year-long initiative to boost technological and entrepreneurial ties.
This is President Macron’s fourth visit to India and his first visit to Mumbai since assuming office in 2017. The visit is taking place at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi and is based on the ‘Horizon 2047’ roadmap adopted during the Prime Minister’s visit to France last year. After today’s events in Mumbai, President Macron will travel to New Delhi to participate in the ‘India AI Impact Summit’ on 18-19 February. In view of his visit, security has been tightened in key areas of South Mumbai and traffic has been diverted around Lok Bhawan and Gateway of India.
This visit is being considered as one of the most important strategic partnerships of India. It aims to transform the long-standing defense and strategic cooperation of the two sides into deeper cooperation in cutting-edge technologies and economic sectors. Other outcomes of the bilateral talks and a list of signed agreements are expected to be shared in a joint press statement later today.
These developments will be closely watched for their impact on India’s defense modernisation, AI ecosystem and broader global technology leadership. “Three days from Mumbai to New Delhi to take our strategic partnership even further,” Mr Macron said on India-France cooperation ties. “I am joined by business leaders and key economic, industrial, cultural and digital stakeholders who give real and concrete shape to India-France relations,” the President wrote on ‘X’.
Before landing in Mumbai, he said, “Together, India and France will take our cooperation even further.” India-France have long-standing strategic relations. These have deepened over the years in various areas including defence, civil nuclear energy, space cooperation and maritime security. The two countries have also worked together on climate initiatives and Indo-Pacific cooperation. Mr Macron’s participation in the AI Impact Summit and bilateral talks underlines the growing importance of technology and innovation in the India-France partnership, as both countries seek to strengthen their strategic ties as well as expand cooperation in emerging sectors.
Emmanuel Macron seen taking a morning walk on Marine Drive
French President Emmanuel Macron started his busy daily routine here on Tuesday with a morning walk on the famous thoroughfare ‘Marine Drive’. The French leader is here on a three-day official visit from 17 to 19 February. He took out time for his regular fitness before the scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today. The early morning walkers on this path did not recognize the Head of State at first. But when this news spread, many viewers started capturing this moment on their mobiles. The video of Mr. Macron interacting with the public like a normal man spread rapidly on social media.
Modi said Macron liked Mumbai
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the meeting held before the bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is visiting India, as wonderful and said that Mr. Macron liked the film city and he also enjoyed early morning jogging. In a post on social media on Tuesday, Mr Modi said that it was a pleasure to meet French President and friend Emmanuel Macron and he really liked Mumbai. Mr Modi said, “Pleased to meet my friend President Macron in Mumbai. He told me he liked the city and also enjoyed his morning run.”
It is noteworthy that Mr. Macron, who reached Mumbai late on Monday night, started his busy routine here on Tuesday morning with a morning walk on Mumbai’s very famous ‘Marine Drive’. The French leader is here on a three-day official visit from 17 to 19 February. He took out time for his regular fitness ahead of his scheduled meeting with Mr Modi today. Early morning walkers on Marine Drive did not recognize the Head of State at first. But when this news spread, many viewers started capturing this moment on their mobiles. The video of Mr. Macron interacting with the public like a normal man spread rapidly on social media.
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