Macron says France ready to make in India, Modi hails elevation of ties to ‘global strategic partnership’
India and France elevated their bilateral relationship to a "Special Global Strategic Partnership" during French President Emmanuel Macron's three-day visit (February 17-19, 2026) to India.
Prime Minister Modi and President Macron held bilateral talks in Mumbai and announced 21 outcomes spanning defence, technology, critical minerals, health, and innovation.
Macron declared that France is ready to "Make in India" and willing to transfer technology in defence and other sectors, moving beyond a buyer-seller dynamic to co-development and co-production.
Key defence agreements include the 26 Rafale-M contract for the Indian Navy, a BEL-Safran joint venture for HAMMER missile co-production, and the inauguration of the Tata-Airbus H125 helicopter final assembly line in Karnataka.
Both leaders announced an annual Foreign Ministers' Dialogue to review implementation of the partnership and the Horizon 2047 Roadmap.
Evolution of India-France Strategic Partnership (1998-2026)
India and France established their first-ever strategic partnership in January 1998 during President Jacques Chirac's visit — making France the first Western nation with which India entered into such a pact. The partnership has evolved through several upgrades: Strategic Partnership (1998), Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (2008), and now Special Global Strategic Partnership (2026). The three traditional pillars — defence and security, civil nuclear cooperation, and space — have expanded to include the Indo-Pacific, digital technology, AI, and climate action.
Key Details
- 1998: India's first strategic partnership with a Western nation, signed during President Chirac's visit
- 2008: Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement signed, making France a key nuclear energy partner
- 2018: "Mutual Logistics Support Agreement" signed; India designated France a "Major Defence Partner"
- July 2023: Horizon 2047 Roadmap adopted during PM Modi's visit, setting bilateral targets to the centenary of Indian independence
- February 2026: Elevated to "Special Global Strategic Partnership" — the highest tier in India's partnership framework
- Annual Foreign Ministers' Dialogue established for reviewing implementation
The upgrade to "Special Global Strategic Partnership" represents the highest formal designation in India's diplomatic lexicon, signalling that France now occupies a uniquely elevated position among India's bilateral partners, comparable only to India's ties with the US and Japan.
India-France Defence Cooperation — Technology Transfer Model
India-France defence cooperation has shifted from a traditional buyer-seller relationship to a co-development and co-production model. Major platforms include the Rafale fighter jets (36 delivered to IAF, 26 Rafale-M ordered for Navy), Scorpene-class submarines (6 built at Mazagon Dock under P-75 project), and now the H125 helicopter assembly line. The Safran engine partnership — involving 100% technology transfer for a new fifth-generation fighter engine — represents an unprecedented level of technology sharing in global defence trade.
Key Details
- 36 Rafale jets for IAF under 2016 Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA); operated from Ambala and Hashimara
- 26 Rafale-M for Indian Navy signed April 2025, with technology transfer and indigenous weapons integration
- P-75 Scorpene submarine project: 6 submarines built at Mazagon Dock; 6th commissioned January 2025
- BEL-Safran JV for HAMMER missile co-production in India
- Safran MRO facility near Hyderabad (inaugurated November 2025) — India's first deep-level engine MRO by a global OEM
- Safran agreed to 100% technology transfer for co-developing an entirely new engine for the AMCA fifth-generation fighter
Macron's explicit commitment to "Make in India" and technology transfer marks a deepening of the co-production model, with the H125 assembly line, HAMMER missile JV, and Safran engine partnership all representing concrete steps toward defence self-reliance (Aatmanirbhar Bharat).
India-France Year of Innovation 2026 and AI Cooperation
Both countries launched the India-France Year of Innovation 2026 to foster collaboration among researchers, innovators, and industry stakeholders. Key initiatives include a Joint Advanced Technology Development Group for cutting-edge technologies, an Indo-French Centre for AI in Health at AIIMS New Delhi, a Centre on Advanced Materials between DST and CNRS, and cooperation on critical minerals. The AI cooperation aligns with the India AI Impact Summit 2026 hosted at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi — the first global AI summit in the Global South.
Key Details
- India AI Impact Summit 2026: February 16-20 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi; theme based on three "Sutras" — People, Planet, Progress
- Indo-French Centre for AI in Health to be established at AIIMS, New Delhi
- Joint Declaration of Intent on Critical Minerals and Metals cooperation
- INRIA (French digital sciences research centre) to open a facility in India
- Centre on Advanced Materials between DST (India) and CNRS (France)
- Target: 30,000 Indian students in France by 2030 (currently ~10,000)
The innovation initiatives cement France's position as India's key technology partner in emerging domains — AI, critical minerals, and advanced materials — where India seeks to reduce dependence on any single source nation.
- India-France strategic partnership established: January 1998 (India's first with a Western nation)
- Current upgrade: "Special Global Strategic Partnership" (February 17, 2026)
- 21 bilateral outcomes announced across defence, innovation, health, critical minerals, and education
- Bilateral trade: $13.4 billion in 2022-23 (7.72% increase year-on-year)
- Defence platforms: 36 Rafale (IAF), 26 Rafale-M (Navy), 6 Scorpene submarines, H125 helicopter FAL
- Airbus sources components and services worth over $1.5 billion annually from India
- India AI Impact Summit 2026: First global AI summit hosted in the Global South
- GIGN-NSG cooperation agreement signed November 2025 for counter-terrorism
- France reaffirms strong support for India as a permanent UN Security Council member