PM Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with President Macron in Mumbai on February 17.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday arrived in India on a three-day India visit. First Lady Brigitte Macron also accompanied the French President as they landed at the Munbai airport early morning.
Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recieved Macron at the airport.
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Welcoming the French President in India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the visit will further strengthen the India-France strategic partnership.
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During the visit, PM Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with President Macron in Mumbai on February 17. The two leaders will hold wide- ranging discussions under the Horizon 2047 Roadmap and launch Year of Innovation 2026.
The leaders will also discuss regional and global issues, including cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, reflecting a growing strategic convergence.
“The visit will impart further momentum to the vibrant India-France strategic partnership,” Jaiswal said on X.
New Rafale deal in focus
Prime Minister Modi and Macron are also expected to discuss the new Rafale deal. India is planning to buy 114 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation for an estimated Rs 3.25 lakh crore or USD 280.4 billion.
Ahead of the visit, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) had last week cleared the proposal. The DAC approved Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the Indian Air Force to procure Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (Rafale).
Under the proposed deal, India will purchase 18 off-the-shelf Rafale fighter jets from French defence giant Dassault Aviation, while the remaining 96 fighter jets will be made in India.
After the meeting, Macron will travel to Delhi to attend the India AI Impact Summit. The global AI Summit is being held from February 16-20 at Bharat Mandapam centre in New Delhi.
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