Emmanuel Macron’s early morning jog draws attention in Mumbai

French President Emmanuel Macron began his engagements in Mumbai with an unexpected and informal public appearance on Tuesday, when he was seen jogging along the city’s iconic Marine Drive promenade. The French leader, who is in India on a three-day official visit from February 17 to 19, took time out for his routine fitness activity ahead of a scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day.

Early morning walkers initially did not recognise the visiting head of state. However, once word spread that it was the French President jogging along the seafront, several onlookers paused to observe and record the moment on their mobile phones. Videos of Macron’s relaxed interaction with the public circulated quickly across social media, with many describing the scene as reflective of his approachable and down-to-earth personality, away from the formal setting of diplomatic events.

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Earlier that morning, footage had also emerged of President Macron departing from the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Colaba, where he is staying during his visit to Mumbai. He had arrived in the city in the early hours of Tuesday, marking the beginning of his India tour scheduled from February 17 to 19.

At the Mumbai airport, Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron were formally received by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar were also present to welcome the French delegation. Soon after the arrival, Fadnavis conveyed his greetings to the French President through a message posted on X, expressing hope that the visit to Maharashtra would be productive and pleasant.

Before departing for India, President Macron had emphasised the significance of the trip, stating that he was travelling with business leaders and representatives from economic, industrial, cultural and digital sectors. He described India as a close partner and said the objective of the visit was to further strengthen concrete cooperation between the two nations.

During his stay in Mumbai, Macron is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Lok Bhavan in South Mumbai for bilateral discussions. The talks are expected to review progress in the India–France strategic partnership and explore expanded collaboration in technology, innovation, defence and digital sectors. The two leaders are also likely to exchange views on key regional and global developments.

Later in the day, Modi and Macron will jointly inaugurate the India–France Year of Innovation 2026, an initiative aimed at deepening cooperation in innovation, research, start-ups and people-to-people exchanges. After completing his engagements in Mumbai, the French President will travel to New Delhi to attend the AI Impact Summit, underlining the growing scope and momentum of ties between India and France.