Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, June 14, 2026, publicly thanked French President Emmanuel Macron for participating in Bharat Innovates 2026, describing Macron as a friend and noting that the French leader delivered a speech at the summit focused on technology and innovation cooperation between the two nations.

Context

In his post on X, Prime Minister Modi wrote: 'I'm grateful to my friend, President Macron for taking part in Bharat Innovates. He shared valuable points during his speech earlier today. India and France will keep working closely when it comes to tech and innovation.' The message underscores the personal rapport between the two leaders and signals continued momentum in the India-France bilateral relationship.

Bharat Innovates 2026 is a high-profile innovation summit bringing together Indian and international stakeholders from the technology and startup ecosystem. The event's official handle @BharatInnov2026 was tagged in the Prime Minister's post, indicating institutional backing for the gathering.

Policy Backdrop

India and France have maintained a Strategic Partnership since 1998, one of the earliest such frameworks India established with a European power. Over nearly three decades, the partnership has expanded from defence and space cooperation to encompass emerging technology domains including digital sovereignty, artificial intelligence governance, and critical supply chains.

The two countries have consistently used high-level visits and multilateral forums to deepen innovation linkages. President Macron has previously engaged Indian technology leaders and addressed forums on the importance of France-India collaboration in research and development. The participation in Bharat Innovates 2026 continues that pattern, situating innovation diplomacy at the heart of the bilateral agenda.

Stakeholders and Impact

The summit's audience and primary beneficiaries include Indian startups, deep-tech firms, and research institutions seeking international partnerships, funding pathways, and technology transfers. French participation at the presidential level lends diplomatic weight to any announcements or frameworks that may emerge from the event.

For France, engagement with India's fast-growing innovation ecosystem aligns with its broader goal of positioning European technology firms and research bodies as partners of choice for the Global South. Both governments have expressed interest in aligning on AI governance frameworks and diversifying critical technology supply chains away from single-source dependencies.

Indian industry bodies and the startup community are likely to view the Prime Minister's public acknowledgement as a signal that bilateral tech cooperation will be backed by continued political will at the highest level.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to any joint statements, memoranda of understanding, or funding mechanisms that may be formalised in the wake of Bharat Innovates 2026. Observers will watch for a dedicated India-France bilateral summit and concrete announcements on AI or deep-tech collaboration. The Prime Minister's emphasis that the two countries 'will keep working closely' suggests further structured engagement is anticipated in the near term.