Mumbai, India – French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India from 17 to 19 February 2026 marked the elevation of bilateral ties with India to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership,” with an emphasis on innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), and emerging technologies. The shift indicates an evolution beyond the traditionally strong strategic and defence foundations of the relationship.

During bilateral discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai on 17 February, President Macron underscored this new direction, stating, “The question is no longer whether India innovates – it is ‘who will innovate with India?’” The visit, Macron’s fourth since assuming office in 2017, followed the conclusion of the EU-India Free Trade Agreement on 27 January and a reciprocal visit by Prime Minister Modi to France a year prior, highlighting a consistent pattern of high-level engagement.

Historical Ties and Strategic Alignment

France and India share a relationship dating back to the 17th century, with French trading posts in India remaining under French sovereignty until the 1950s. This historical depth has fostered consistent ties, symbolised by interactions between leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Charles de Gaulle, Indira Gandhi and Jacques Chirac, and currently, Narendra Modi and Emmanuel Macron.

The relationship was formally elevated to a strategic partnership in 1998. France has historically supported India’s strategic ambitions, including refraining from condemning India’s 1998 nuclear tests and backing its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Regional and Global Convergence

As powers within the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), both nations collaborate through organisations such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the Indian Ocean Commission, and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium. The French territory of La Réunion serves as a strategic platform for bilateral military cooperation, supported by a 2018 logistics agreement granting Indian naval forces access and enabling joint patrols with Indian P-8I maritime patrol aircraft.

The partnership aligns with a shared commitment to a rules-based regional order in the Indo-Pacific. This commitment was demonstrated during France’s Mission Clemenceau deployment in early 2025, which included a port call by the Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group in Goa and participation in the 23rd Varuna bilateral naval exercise with the Indian Navy.

Beyond regional concerns, Franco-Indian convergence extends to global governance, with both countries advocating for strategic autonomy. President Macron’s concept of France as a “puissance d’équilibre” (balancing power) resonates with India’s doctrine of multi-alignment. In 2026, India chairs the BRICS grouping while France holds the G-7 presidency, an alignment that led to President Macron inviting Prime Minister Modi as a special guest to the G-7 Summit in Évian.

Defence and Industrial Collaboration

The extensive political relationship underpins a robust defence partnership. Six Scorpène-class submarines and 36 Rafale fighter jets are currently in service with the Indian Armed Forces. In 2025, an additional 26 Rafale Marine aircraft were ordered, and the Defence Acquisition Council recently approved the procurement of 114 more.

Industrial defence cooperation encompasses the assembly of Airbus H125 helicopters in Bangalore, collaboration on engines for India’s future AMCA fighter, and domestic production of the HAMMER missile. These initiatives position France as a partner in India’s defence modernisation and indigenisation efforts.

Future-Oriented Collaboration

While political convergence and defence have been foundational, the partnership’s scope is expanding. The “Horizon 2047” joint statement, issued in 2023, outlines 25 years of cooperation in areas including cybersecurity, space, solar energy, climate action, green hydrogen, civil nuclear power, critical minerals, ocean protection, and academic exchanges.

President Macron’s recent visit solidified AI and innovation as new priorities, marked by the launch of the India-France Year of Innovation in Mumbai. Following their co-chairing of the AI Action Summit in Paris in February 2025, Macron and Modi reconvened in New Delhi for the India AI Impact Summit. Both leaders acknowledge that AI development “is not a two-player game,” advocating for broader minilateral formats, including trilateral partnerships with the UAE and Australia. President Macron also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Modi to participate in the Africa Forward Summit on innovation and growth, scheduled for May 2026 in Nairobi.

Managing Divergences

The France-India relationship, like any strategic partnership, experiences occasional points of divergence. Foreign policy differences include France’s absence from the Quad, its nuanced stance on China at the U.N. Security Council, and its deteriorated relationship with Russia, contrasting with India’s continued engagement with Moscow. In defence cooperation, New Delhi’s reported preference for a German submarine design over an additional French Scorpène illustrates competitive pressures.

Despite these differences, the partnership is described as resilient. Anchored in a shared commitment to multipolarity and strategic autonomy, and institutionalised through a network of agreements and roadmaps, these episodic divergences are not anticipated to undermine the overall trajectory of France-India ties.