New Delhi, February 19: French President Emmanuel Macron is currently on a visit to India. On Thursday, he attended the India-AI Impact Summit at India Mandapam. During the inauguration ceremony, he also toured the India AI Impact Expo. As soon as he spotted a camera, he approached and said, “I love your country.”
This is not the first time Macron has openly expressed his affection for India. His fondness has been evident on several occasions. After arriving in New Delhi from Mumbai on Wednesday, he was greeted by local artists who performed a vibrant show at the airport. Standing amidst the gentle rain, the French leader joined his hands in gratitude towards the performers. Earlier, while jogging in Mumbai, he was seen accepting greetings from the public.
At the AI Impact Summit held in India, Macron began his speech with “Namaste” and concluded with “Jai Ho.” He praised India’s digital model, stating that what India has achieved is unparalleled globally. Macron illustrated India’s cultural connection through the story of a street vendor, noting that ten years ago, a street vendor in Mumbai could not even open a bank account due to a lack of documents and identification. Today, that same vendor can receive instant and free digital payments on their phone from anywhere in the country. He remarked, “This is not just technology; it is a story of civilization.”
On his three-day visit, Macron also acknowledged the growing relationship between France and India. He noted that in the past year, the field of AI has become a strategic competition, but a path focusing on innovation, self-reliance, and strategic autonomy remains open. India has made sovereign choices by developing small, task-specific language models and supporting startups with affordable government-funded GPUs.
In conclusion, Macron reiterated the story of the street vendor, stating, “Ten years ago, the world told India that 1.4 billion people could not be brought into the digital economy. India has proven them wrong.”
It is noteworthy that India and France are celebrating 2026 as the ‘India-France Innovation Year.’ This year-long initiative aims to enhance collaboration between the two nations in new technologies, research, and industrial innovation, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI). India and France are working together on a shared AI roadmap aimed at developing responsible and ethical AI systems.
My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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