You could say it was a routine parting, but a few words in Hindi from the French President made it something else entirely. It put a personal stamp on PM Modi’s time in France and made one thing plain: ties are only getting deeper. And with G7 business behind him, Macron let on he will be in India in February to keep things moving.
A Hindi sign-off that set the tone
‘Priya mitra Narendra, mujhe bahut khushi hai, daure ke liye swagat karte, France Bharat ki dosti amar rahe,’ is how you’ll hear him in the video message. Then with a smile, ‘I hope it was correct.’ After that, back to English: ‘Thank you for your visit. Thank you for our friendship. It was a very fruitful visit. France loves you. We are looking forward to seeing you again soon, in February. Jai Hind.’
It was a brief clip put out by the usual channels as Modi’s trip wound down, but it said a lot about the kind of rapport there is and Macron’s way of making himself heard in India.
Why it matters for India-France ties
This all comes on the heels of a get-together at Villa Kerylos in Nice, the first time they’ve been in the same room since making the ‘Special Global Strategic Partnership’ official earlier in the year. They went over defence in every sense of the word and made it clear they want to put more energy into co-designing and co-producing the kind of platforms and tech that matter.
The space partnership is an old story, but they were keen to talk about new ways to work together on human spaceflight and being aware of what’s happening in orbit, with the private sector in the mix. You could see some of that spirit when they were with some of the startups at VivaTech 2026, sizing up the latest in innovation.
Innovation pitch and a record milestone
Macron also took to the Bharat Innovates 2026 stage to do some well-deserved congratulating. As of June 10, 2026, Modi has put in 4,399 days as Prime Minister without a break, edging out the 4,398 days Jawaharlal Nehru had from ’52 to ’64. The Union Cabinet has made a formal note of it with a resolution.
To the French President, that kind of steady leadership is part of why India is where it is. He sees the 1.4 billion people here and a system that can put out a million or so engineers a year – as many as Europe and the US put together – as a no-brainer for an innovation partner like Paris.
Chandrayaan-3 as proof point
If you need an example, look at the space programme. Macron pointed to Chandrayaan-3 and the feat of landing near the south pole in record time and for less than you might think. It shows you can do research and put it to work on an industrial level.
Space is more than just a trophy for New Delhi and Paris; it’s where they can be of use to one another. There is trust to be built on in the short term, particularly when it comes to human spaceflight and situational awareness.
Diplomacy around the G7 and next steps
Modi has been in the thick of it for the G7 Summit these past couple of days, with side meetings with world leaders like Donald Trump. So when Macron made his valedictory remarks, he was also putting it on the table: he will be in India in February to pick up where they left off in Nice.
They’re both happy with the state of defence ties and want to see some speed in joint development. Expect to see the private sector come to the fore as they try to make good on the high-level promises.
What to keep an eye on from here:
– The February trip to India from Macron
– Where we are with co-design and co-development
– Any moves in human spaceflight and space awareness
– What comes of the startup talks at VivaTech 2026
The broader message
Don’t let the Hindi sign-off be seen as just a bit of show. It was a way of tying a friendly overture to the hard policy work in defence and beyond. The nod to Modi’s 4,399-day run and the talk of India's sheer scale of talent is meant to show this is in it for the long haul.
Now with a date in the diary for February and the priorities laid down in Nice, the path is clear. Some of the good will on display should go a long way in making the plans a reality.
