Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: If geopolitics in the 20th century revolved around oil, territory and military alliances, the 21st century is being reordered around algorithms, data and compute power. French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India from February 17-19 comes at a moment when artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just a technological frontier but a strategic need, when middle powers are seeking space between the US-China technology headbuts.
The expanding India–Europe partnership in AI reflects this recalibration. Macron’s engagement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier at the 2025 AI Action Summit in Paris laid the groundwork for a sustained dialogue on governance, innovation and standards-setting. His current visit builds on that continuity, signalling that AI cooperation is now embedded in the broader India-France strategic relationship.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India carries symbolism beyond bilateral warmth; it signals Europe’s determination to remain an active player in shaping the norms of emerging technologies and India’s readiness to co-author that framework rather than merely adopt external standards
For both sides, the stakes are high. France has invested heavily in sovereign AI capabilities, public research institutions and high-performance computing. India, meanwhile, brings scale — from its digital public infrastructure architecture to a vast pool of engineering talent and a rapidly expanding start-up ecosystem.
Together, they present a complementary equation: European depth in research and regulation alongside Indian breadth in deployment and innovation.
Yet the partnership is about more than commercial synergy. Macron’s advocacy of a “third way” in global tech governance — encouraging innovation while preventing unchecked surveillance or monopolistic control — resonates with India’s own search for a balanced regulatory framework. As New Delhi refines its AI governance model, European experiences, particularly the EU’s AI Act, provide both lessons and cautionary signals.
At the same time, India’s engagement with Europe is broadening beyond bilateral ties with France. The India–EU Trade and Technology Council has elevated AI to the centre of discussions on standards, semiconductors, secure connectivity and resilient supply chains. This institutional architecture suggests that cooperation is becoming systemic rather than episodic.
Strategically, Europe sees India as a democratic counterweight in an era of technological fragmentation. As countries invest in sovereign AI stacks and trusted data ecosystems, partnerships anchored in shared political values acquire added importance. For India, deeper AI collaboration with Europe diversifies technological partnerships and reduces overdependence on any single global pole.
The real test, however, lies in execution. Joint research programmes, academic mobility, start-up bridges and co-development in areas such as climate analytics, healthcare diagnostics and smart mobility must translate from summit declarations into funded, measurable outcomes. Regulatory dialogue must avoid becoming a brake on innovation while ensuring trust and transparency.
Macron’s visit therefore carries symbolism beyond bilateral warmth. It signals Europe’s determination to remain an active player in shaping the norms of emerging technologies — and India’s readiness to co-author that framework rather than merely adopt external standards.
As artificial intelligence redefines economic competitiveness and national security, the India–Europe conversation is evolving from transactional cooperation to structural alignment. The message from New Delhi this week is clear: the future of AI governance will not be written by superpowers alone, and democratic coalitions intend to have a decisive say.