India and France vowed to deepen economic, defense, and tech ties as their leaders sought to project stability and cooperation in a time of global uncertainty.
French President Emmanuel Macron is hoping to convince New Delhi to finalize its purchase of 114 French fighter jets during his trip to India. The visit comes as Europe looks to bolster its defense industry and reduce US reliance, while New Delhi seeks to diversify away from Russia.
Macron will also attend India’s AI summit Wednesday, as he and India’s leader promote shared regulatory frameworks as an alternative to the US- and China-led paradigm. Washington and Beijing “appear increasingly detached” from discussions around AI guardrails, and middle powers should be on notice, a tech expert argued.