French President praises India’s growing global influence in innovation

French President Emmanuel Macron praised India’s growing global influence in innovation, highlighting Indian-origin CEOs leading major multinational companies from IBM to Microsoft at the India–France Innovation Forum in Mumbai.

What particularly caught attention was Macron’s eye for detail when he pointed out that the CEO of French luxury brand Chanel comes from Kolhapur in Maharashtra -- the state where he was delivering his address -- as he praised the region’s contribution to global leadership.

“The CEO of Alphabet is Indian. The CEO of Microsoft is Indian. The CEO of IBM is Indian. The CEO of Adobe is Indian. The CEO of Palo Alto Networks is Indian. The CEO of Chanel is from Kolhapur, right here in this state...India does not just participate in global innovation; India leads it,” he said.

Macron’s observation brought smiles to the faces of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who were also present at the event.

The French leader went on to stress that India has a key role to play in shaping the global industries of the future, as its innovation strength lies in its vast pool of talent and its capacity to scale ideas to serve its massive population.

In a major step, India and France on Tuesday upgraded their ties to a “special global strategic partnership” and pledged to deepen cooperation in key sectors such as defence, trade and critical minerals, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Emmanuel Macron describing the relationship as a “force for global stability” amid rising global conflicts.

Hours after Macron landed in Mumbai early Tuesday for a three-day visit to India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted him for bilateral talks.

“The world is going through a period of uncertainty. In such an environment, the India-France partnership is a force for global stability. We are combining France’s expertise and India’s scale,” Modi said in his media statement.

PM Modi further expressed that two countries share a “very special relationship” and that France is one of India’s oldest strategic partners.

“And together with President Macron, we have given this strategic partnership unprecedented depth and energy. Based on this trust and shared vision, today we are establishing our relationship as a ‘special global strategic partnership’,” Modi said.

“This partnership is not just strategic. In today’s turbulent era, it is a partnership of global stability and global progress,” he said.

--Inputs from PTI