1 / 10Prime Minister Narendra Modi has departed for France on a three-day visit, where he will co-chair the AI Action Summit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. The visit is expected to strengthen the India-France strategic partnership, with key discussions spanning artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, trade, defence, and space collaboration. (Image: PTI)
2 / 10Modi’s trip to France comes against the backdrop of deepening Indo-French ties, which marked their twenty-fifth anniversary last year. The two countries have expanded cooperation beyond traditional sectors such as defence and civil nuclear energy to newer domains, including artificial intelligence, innovation, and maritime security. (Image: PTI)
3 / 10Modi will arrive in Paris on the evening of February 10 and will attend a dinner hosted by Macron at the Élysée Palace. The following day, he will co-chair the AI Action Summit, which is expected to bring together leaders from over 100 countries and 1,000 stakeholders from the private sector and civil society. The development comes just weeks after the US announced a $500 billion Stargate Project and China’s DeepSeek shocked Silicon Valley and roiled Wall Street with its low-cost AI software. (Image: PTI)
4 / 10The AI Action Summit, scheduled for February 11, is one of the highlights of Modi’s visit. Co-chaired by Modi and Macron, the summit will focus on global AI governance, economic growth driven by artificial intelligence, and strategic collaborations in AI-driven research and innovation. The discussions will also cover ethical guidelines for AI development and its impact on the future workforce. (Image: Pixabay)
5 / 10The summit follows previous editions held in the United Kingdom in 2023 and South Korea in 2024, reinforcing the global momentum towards responsible AI development. The 2023 edition in Bletchley Park focused on AI safety, culminating in 20 nations—including the US, China, and India—signing the Bletchley Declaration on AI Safety. The Seoul summit in 2024 saw 16 leading AI companies pledge to develop AI in a transparent manner. France’s hosting of this year’s summit is an initiative driven by President Macron. (Image: Reuters)
6 / 10According to Indian Express, safety, governance, and innovation are the central themes this year. The summit will also address the increasing concentration of power in a handful of companies such as Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta. There will be five dedicated working groups focusing on international governance, the future of work, security and safety, AI for general interest, and innovation and culture.
7 / 10In addition to the AI summit, Modi and Macron will hold bilateral discussions covering defence, trade, technology, space, and clean energy. The meeting will take place in both restricted and delegation-level formats, where key agreements and partnerships may be announced. The two leaders will also address the India-France CEO Forum, where discussions will centre on trade, technology, and economic cooperation. (Image: X)
8 / 10Modi’s visit will also highlight India’s growing engagement in nuclear energy. On February 12, he and Macron will travel to Cadarache, home to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a groundbreaking nuclear fusion research project in which India is a key partner. ITER is one of the world’s most ambitious scientific collaborations and aims to develop clean, sustainable fusion energy. (Image: X)
9 / 10The visit will conclude with a tour of Cadarache and a visit to the Mazargues War Cemetery in Marseille, which is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Modi and Macron will pay tribute to Indian soldiers who fought in the First World War, reaffirming the historical connection between India and France. Additionally, Modi will inaugurate the Consulate General of India in Marseille. (Image: PTI)
10 / 10Following his engagements in France, Modi will travel to the United States on February 12-13, marking his first visit to Washington since Donald Trump’s second-term inauguration. The visit will focus on deepening India-US cooperation in defence, trade, and technology. (Image: Reuters)
