Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, is currently in Mumbai as part of a three-day trip to India, where he is expected to attend an artificial intelligence event and meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Macron's discussions with PM Modi are probably going to center on a possible multibillion-dollar sale for Dassault Rafale fighter jets and French collaboration in artificial intelligence as part of France's efforts to deepen its military alliance with New Delhi.

Along with reviewing developments in the India-France strategic alliance, the two leaders will discuss regional and global challenges.
PM Modi-Macron Conference
Macron, who arrived in India's financial capital with his wife, Brigitte, at midnight Monday on his fourth visit since assuming office in 2017, will meet with Prime Minister Modi in Mumbai.Prime Minister Modi invited the French president to attend the AI Impact Summit, which India is hosting.
The visit comes after India and the European Union signed a historic free trade agreement in January and New Delhi confirmed last week that it plans to make a significant order for Rafale jets.
President Macron and Prime Minister Modi will have bilateral meetings at Mumbai's Lok Bhavan on Tuesday at around 3:15 p.m.
The Prime Minister's Office says a thorough assessment of the progress made under the India-France Strategic Partnership will be part of the talks. It is anticipated that the discussions would center on deepening the strategic partnership and extending collaboration into new and forward-thinking industries.

According to a formal statement from the PMO, the two presidents will discuss important regional and global concerns. Discussions are also expected to include a possible contract for 114 more French fighter jets.
PM Modi and President Macron will jointly launch the India-France Year of Innovation 2026 at approximately 5:15 p.m. Additionally, they will speak to a group of scholars, inventors, business executives, and start-up founders from both nations.
The first helicopter final assembly line in India will be inaugurated by PM Modi and Macron via videoconference from Mumbai, which is a joint venture between Airbus and India's Tata Group. The company's best-selling single-engine helicopter, the Airbus H125, will be produced at the Vemagal site in the southern Karnataka state, close to Bengaluru, a tech hotspot.

According to Macron's office, the goal of the visit is to "diversify" France's trade and economic ties with India and "further strengthen cooperation."

With 1.4 billion inhabitants, India is the most populous country in the world and is expected to rank fourth in terms of GDP. Paris has become one of New Delhi's most significant economic and defense partners in the last ten years.
On February 18 and 19, the French president will also attend the AI Impact Summit, which India is hosting.
Discussions Regarding the Rafale Contract and Other Matters: Upcoming Events
Over the last ten years, New Delhi has worked to lessen its reliance on Russia, its long-standing primary supplier of military hardware, by looking to other nations and advocating for increased domestic manufacturing.

The proposed acquisition of Rafale aircraft has been approved, according to a statement released by the defense ministry last week. "The majority" of these aircraft will be produced in India.
According to sources who spoke to NDTV, India has authorized a proposal for Rs 3.25 lakh crore to purchase 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF), making it the largest defense procurement in the nation's history. The announcement did not indicate how many jets New Delhi will buy.
The aircraft would supplement the 36 Rafales India bought for its air force in 2016 and the 26 it has ordered for its navy, if the deal is finalized.

Although negotiations with manufacturer Dassault Aviation are still ongoing, the French presidency has expressed hope that what it refers to as a "historic" agreement might be struck.
The two leaders' discussions are also anticipated to include China's influence in the area and the global economic uncertainty brought on by US President Donald Trump's tariff measures. "Cementing the strategic partnership and further diversifying it into new and emerging areas" would be the main topics of discussion, according to PM Modi's office.
The defence and aerospace sectors account for the majority of France-India bilateral commerce, which is valued at about -15 billion ($18 billion) a year. A significant portion of India's commercial fleet consists of Airbus aircraft. French FDI in India is close to $15 billion (around Rs 1.36 lakh crore).