France is betting big on India’s tech ecosystem. Next week, as French President Emmanuel Macron touches down for his three-day state visit (Feb 17-19), he brings with him more than just diplomatic goodwill—he brings the “Year of Innovation.”
This bilateral initiative, set to be formally launched by Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai, is designed to be the economic engine of the “Horizon 2047” strategic roadmap.
The “Business France” Blitz Leading the charge is Business France, which has organized a delegation of over 110 French companies. This isn’t just about luxury goods; the focus is squarely on hard tech. The delegation includes CEOs from sectors like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, aerospace, and cybersecurity.
“We are moving beyond the buyer-seller relationship in defense,” said a source close to the delegation. “The goal now is co-creation. French companies are looking to set up R&D centers in Bengaluru and Hyderabad to leverage India’s engineering talent for global products.”
AI Takes Center Stage A centerpiece of this collaboration will be visible at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi later in the week. France is hosting the largest international pavilion at the summit—a massive 436-square-meter space featuring 29 top-tier French AI firms. Major players like Capgemini, Dassault Systèmes, and Atos will be showcasing “sovereign AI” solutions, a critical area of interest for India as it seeks to build its own computing infrastructure independent of US and Chinese dominance.
From Mumbai to Space While the Mumbai leg of the visit will focus on startups and financial partnerships, the agenda also includes critical discussions on space and defense. With India’s Gaganyaan mission on the horizon, expanding cooperation between ISRO and CNES (the French space agency) is a top priority. The “Year of Innovation” will run throughout 2026, featuring a series of hackathons, joint research grants, and a “French Tech” immersion program for Indian startups in Paris.
For European businesses, the message is clear: The path to the future runs through India. And France intends to be the first one through the door.
