AI Summit, nuclear and defence offers: What India can anticipate from PM Modi’s France go to

Bonjour, France! All eyes are on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he makes his option to France for a three-day go to, till February 12. From there, the PM will make his option to america the place he’ll meet President Donald Trump for the primary time throughout his second time period within the White Home.

In France, Modi has a packed schedule: he’ll first co-chair the AI Motion Summit together with French President Emmanuel Macron. The PM can be anticipated to conduct a bilateral meet with Macron to “overview the progress on 2047 Horizon Roadmap for India-France strategic partnership”.

Modi and Macron are additionally anticipated to go to the historic French metropolis of Marseille to inaugurate the primary Indian Consulate in France.

This may mark PM Modi’s first bilateral go to to France in his third time period. However what can we anticipate from the go to?

Co-chairing AI Summit with Macron

PM Modi’s go to to France started with a dinner on February 10 on the Elysee Palace in Paris on the invitation of Macron. On the occasion, PM Modi was welcomed by his “pal” Macron with a hug. On the dinner, the prime minister additionally met US Vice President JD Vance, who can be in France to attend the AI Summit.

At the moment (February 11), PM Modi will co-chair the
AI Summit within the French capital’s opulent Grand Palais. The gathering, which can be being chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron, goals embrace “mapping” AI governance world wide, selling the concept of extra moral, accessible and frugal AI and pushing for European sovereignty over the expertise.

This would be the third version of the AI Motion Summit — the primary was held in the UK in 2023, and a smaller gathering in Seoul, South Korea, final yr.

On his imaginative and prescient for the AI Summit, President Macron chatting with Firstpost’s Managing Editor Palki Sharma stated that
his and PM Modi’s predominant agenda could be to push for
tech sovereignty on a worldwide stage. “I feel with Prime Minister Modi we firmly consider that India and France are two nice powers and we’ve got a particular relationship in respect to this. We respect and wish to work with america, and we wish to work with China however don’t wish to rely on nobody,” the French chief stated.

“Collectively we’ll develop technological sovereignty, we wish to prepare our expertise in order that they’ll go overseas however they need to even be at house and we are able to create information centres in India and France with sustainable vitality and we wish our personal language mannequin in France and India. We don’t wish to rely on the US and the Chinese language fashions and we wish purposes in all fields,” Macron furthered.

He additional stated that it was these two international locations — India and France — which might carve a 3rd means ahead within the tech race which has majorly been all about america and China.

The AI Summit will likely be attended by a number of tech titans, heads of state, CEOs and scientists from over 100 international locations. Amongst these in attendance will likely be US Vice President JD Vance, on his first abroad journey since taking workplace, and Chinese language Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing.

It is going to be fascinating to see how the summit co-chaired by Modi and Macron will cope with the problem of
DeepSeek, the Chinese language AI firm that has rattled the AI bubble with a foundational mannequin that’s cheaper and extra vitality environment friendly.

Defence and nuclear offers

Aside from the AI Summit, PM Modi can be seeking to strenghthen India-France ties by means of nuclear and defence offers.

There are big expectations that PM Modi will finalise the deal for 26
Rafale-M fighter jets for the Indian Navy. A report by The Print stated that the deal is alleged to be value €7 billion. Nonetheless, it’s not but clear if f the procurement will likely be introduced throughout PM Modi’s go to. Nonetheless, as soon as signed and delivered, these 26 Rafale-M will function from India’s plane service fleet — INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.

These superior fighter jets will likely be geared up with cutting-edge weaponry, together with the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, enhancing their effectiveness in maritime operations. The jets can even characteristic specialised anti-ship weaponry, designed to strengthen India’s deterrence and strike capabilities throughout the Indian Ocean.

Aside from the deal for the Rafale-M jets, there may be additionally a risk that India will purchase three extra Scorpene-class submarines, which is able to bolster India’s underwater deterrence capabilities.

On the nuclear vitality aspect too, India and France are anticipated to signal some offers. On February 12, PM Modi and Macron will go to Cadarache, a website recognized for housing the Worldwide Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) — a serious collaborative scientific venture aimed toward creating clear nuclear fusion vitality, through which India is a key companion.

Geopolitical watchers anticipate that India and France will possible make bulletins on small modular reactors, boosting civil nuclear cooperation. Actually, India in its Funds introduced that it was amending its Civil Legal responsibility for Nuclear Damages Act and the Atomic Power Act. This transfer, as per The Hindu, would enthuse American and French nuclear energy corporations, whose tasks have been deadlocked on account of authorized worries for greater than 15 years.

Inaugurating new consulate

As a part of his France go to, PM Modi can even go to the Mazargues Struggle Cemetery in Marseille, the place they’ll pay tribute to Indian troopers who fought and died throughout World Struggle I. Following this, the 2 leaders can even collectively inaugurate the Consulate Basic of India in Marseille.

India’s intent to open a consulate in Marseille was introduced throughout Modi’s earlier go to to France in 2023.

Deepening India-France ties

Aside from all this, PM Modi and Macron can even attend the India-France CEO discussion board to attach enterprise ties.

An India-France Triangular Improvement Cooperation initiative can be more likely to be launched. The 2 international locations will declare that 2026 will likely be celebrated as India-France Innovation yr, and launch a emblem.

Insiders have stated that the 2 leaders can even maintain talks on the
India-Center East-Europe Financial Hall (IMEC). This venture was first introduced on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi in 2023.

The Print citing sources stated, “Mumbai and Marseille would be the two ends of the hall (IMEC). Talks on the hall will likely be excessive on the agenda”. The venture envisions a route connecting India’s West coast to Europe by way of West Asia.

An initiative on India-France Triangular Improvement Cooperation can be more likely to be launched throughout the go to, by means of which India and France will goal to implement climate- and SDGs-focused tasks in third international locations within the Indo-Pacific area.

Modi’s France itinerary

>> Modi will land in France on February night and attend a VIP dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron

>> On February 11, PM Modi will co-chair the Synthetic Intelligence (AI) Motion Summit with Macron

>> The PM will then attend a CEOs roundtable with the French president

>> Modi will then journey to Marseille the place he may have a bilateral assembly with Macron, adopted by non-public dinner

With inputs from companies