Macron Invites Modi to AI Summit in Paris as India Pushes Its Own AI Agenda

NEW DELHI — French President Emmanuel Macron has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit in Paris next month, a spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Friday. India has accepted the invitation, signaling its growing focus on AI development and global collaboration.

Speaking at a press briefing, Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized India’s commitment to advancing its own AI initiatives. “We have our program, and we want to further develop it. In that regard, we are in touch with several partners on technology collaboration and strengthening these engagements,” he said.

The AI Action Summit, scheduled for February 10-11 at the Grand Palais in Paris, will bring together heads of state, global tech leaders, academics, and civil society members to discuss the future of AI, according to a statement from the Élysée Palace.

Jaiswal’s remarks come as India accelerates its AI ambitions following the emergence of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup that has drawn attention in the global tech community. On Thursday, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the Indian government would soon host an open-source AI model, similar to DeepSeek, on domestic servers, reinforcing the country’s push for technological self-reliance.