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French President Visits India
President Emmanuel Macron at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi stressed that France and its partners are committed to actively shaping global rules for artificial intelligence in collaboration with allies like India.
Shaping Global AI Rules With Allies
President Emmanuel Macron said Europe is determined to help shape international rules on artificial intelligence and wants to do so in cooperation with like-minded partners such as India. He emphasized that AI governance should not be left to a few dominant powers, and that broad cooperation is needed to ensure safe, effective AI frameworks globally.
Europe: Innovation and Safety Together
• Macron described Europe as a “safe space” for AI innovation and investment — meaning that regulatory approaches should protect people while still encouraging technological advancement. He noted that Europe’s AI regulations (notably the EU AI Act, first adopted in 2024) aim to provide such balance by allowing innovation but also banning high-risk or harmful uses of AI.
Praise for India’s Digital Progress
• In his address, he also commended India’s digital achievements, such as its digital identity system and payment infrastructure. He highlighted how technology has been used to expand access — for example, enabling formerly unbanked citizens to participate in the digital economy — underscoring India’s leadership in building inclusive digital systems.
Child Safety and Digital Protection
• Macron stressed the importance of protecting children from digital abuse in the age of AI. He referenced European and allied efforts to limit children’s exposure to harmful online content, including initiatives (under consideration in France and elsewhere) to restrict social-media use for young teens, and said such protection should be part of global AI governance discussions.
Strategic Competition and Shared Vision
• He warned that artificial intelligence has become a key arena of strategic competition — with technological and geopolitical implications — and argued against dominance by a single power or bloc. Macron suggested that countries like France and India should champion a “sovereign AI” approach, where technology is developed and governed responsibly in ways that benefit people and preserve global balance.