PM Modi, Macron Share Car Ride To India-France Innovation Forum In Mumbai

Last Updated:February 17, 2026, 19:19 IST

PM Modi said that after bilateral talks and press statements, he and the French leader departed to attend several programs including the India-France Innovation Forum.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron travelled together in the same car to attend the India-France Innovation Forum in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The symbolic show of camaraderie underscored the close personal bond between the two leaders. PM Modi took to X to share a candid picture with Macron seated together in a car en route to the event.

He said that after bilateral talks and press statements, he and the French leader departed to attend several programs including the India-France Innovation Forum.

“After the talks and press statements at Lok Bhavan in Mumbai, President Macron and I are on the way to the other programmes, which include the India-France Innovation Forum," he said in a post on X.

Earlier today, PM Modi and Macron held bilateral talks to boost ties in key sectors such as trade, defence, energy and critical technologies.

While addressing a joint press conference, PM Modi described India-France ties as “special" and a force for global stability amid global uncertainty. He said that the two countries have decided to elevate their relationship to a Special Global Strategic Partnership.

“The world is facing a period of uncertainty. In this environment, the India-France partnership is a force for global stability," he said.

PM Modi announced the launch of several joint initiatives, including the Indo-French Centre for AI in Health, the Indo-French Centre for Digital Science and Technology, and the National Centre of Alliance for Skilling in Aeronautics.

He also announced the setting up of an assembly line in India for H125 single-engine light utility helicopters of French origin.

President Macron said the India–France relationship is unique and based on trust, openness and ambition.

“We have decided today to elevate this partnership and give it a new status. We have complete faith in this relationship," he said, noting that the two countries have worked closely over the past eight years in areas including the Indo-Pacific, artificial intelligence and clean energy.

Macron arrived in Mumbai last night for a three-day official visit from 17-19 February, at the invitation of PM Modi. He was received at the airport by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

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