Modi, Macron ride together to India-France Innovation Forum in Mumbai

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron shared a car ride as they moved from talks in Mumbai toward the India-France Innovation Forum, underscoring the warmth of their working relationship and their shared focus on strengthening cooperation in innovation, trade, and technology.

Modi posted on X that after the Lok Bhavan discussions, the two leaders were en route to the forum, a moment that has become a recurring feature of Modi’s engagements with visiting global leaders. In recent months he has also been seen sharing rides with Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim and, on other occasions, travelling with Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as examples of the personal rapport that frames India’s diplomacy.

Macron arrived in Mumbai with a delegation that included business leaders and representatives from economic, industrial, cultural and digital sectors, all aiming to translate political ties into concrete collaboration. The discussions are set to cover a range of topics, including defence equipment, where France is a close partner, with Rafale jets and Scorpene submarines in the mix, alongside broader tech and innovation initiatives.

Observers say the partnership between India and France remains a strategic pillar, with the Innovation Forum seen as a platform to translate high-level talks into joint projects, startups, and collaborative programmes in science, technology and climate-friendly solutions. The visit reinforces France’s role as a key supplier and partner in Europe while signaling India’s push to position itself as a global hub for innovation.

Together, Modi and Macron have repeatedly stressed the value of people-to-people connections and practical cooperation, a theme that permeates this Mumbai stop as both sides seek to turn diplomatic goodwill into tangible outcomes for their businesses and citizens.

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