Mumbai: French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron left Mumbai for New Delhi on Wednesday after concluding their official engagements here, including bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
They were seen off at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.
On Tuesday, Macron held discussions with Modi as part of efforts to further strengthen India-France strategic ties.
AI development should serve humanity
President Macron underscored the need for India and France to build sovereign AI capacity and talent, ensuring that AI development serves humanity without overdependence on a few global powers.
In a move to strengthen Indo-French cooperation in healthcare and emerging technologies, Union Health Minister J P Nadda and Macron on Wednesday inaugurated an Indo-French Centre for AI in Health (IF-CAIH) at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi.
“India and France are committed to developing the computing capacity and talent necessary to build our own trusted AI systems, as we cannot rely solely on technologies created and managed elsewhere,” Macron said on the occasion.
Emphasising responsible governance, Macron said, “Artificial intelligence must serve humanity – with strong protection for children, transparency in algorithms to address bias, and a firm commitment to preserving linguistic and cultural diversity – areas where India and France share a common vision.”
He also highlighted the transformative potential of ethical AI adoption across sectors, particularly in healthcare, to enhance productivity and accelerate scientific discovery.
Macron also interacted with students and encouraged young researchers to pursue innovation-driven solutions in healthcare.
The IF-CAIH is a pioneering initiative aimed at advancing AI-driven research, medical education and clinical innovation to address complex healthcare challenges.
It marks a significant milestone in India-France collaboration in digital health and reinforces Bharat’s vision of becoming a global leader in equitable and technology-enabled healthcare solutions, an official statement said.
The launch coincided with the ‘Rencontres Universitaires Et Scientifiques De Haut Niveau’ (RUSH), a series of academic and scientific meetings being held at AIIMS Delhi on February 18-19, coordinated by the French Embassy.
A dedicated session titled ‘Indo-French Forum: AI in Brain Health and Global Healthcare’ brought together leading scientists, clinicians, policymakers and academic leaders from both countries.
The IF-CAIH has been established pursuant to an MoU signed between AIIMS Delhi, Sorbonne University in Paris and the Paris Brain Institute.
The initiative draws academic collaboration from the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi and leading French institutions, promoting interdisciplinary research in AI, brain health and global healthcare systems.
It builds upon the ongoing institutional cooperation between India and France in priority areas such as digital health, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), human resources for health, and responsible use of health data.
Collaborative efforts between research bodies and digital health institutions of both countries aim to enhance scientific discovery, strengthen evidence-based policymaking and promote capacity building and mobility partnerships, the statement said.
The Indo-French Forum at RUSH 2026 aims to promote an integrated approach to global mental health challenges and enrich research ecosystems through cross-mobility of students, faculty, and researchers across the Indo-Pacific region, it said.
As part of RUSH 2026, a special 30-minute conversation titled ‘RUSH – Conversation on Artificial Intelligence’ was held between Macron and two young Indian innovators, Priyanka Das Rajkakati and Manan Suri.
The session, moderated by Clara Chappaz, French Ambassador for AI and Digital, highlighted the importance of youth-led innovation, cross-border collaboration, and the transformative potential of AI in shaping inclusive and sustainable global futures.
The programme also featured a special segment on ‘Major Scientific and Academic Cooperation Highlights between France and India’, moderated by Professor Vijay Raghavan and Dr Thierry Coulhon, chairmen of RUSH.
It showcased key milestones and emerging avenues of collaboration in higher education, research, and innovation between the two countries, reflecting the depth and dynamism of the Indo-French knowledge partnership, the statement said.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Veena Nair | 
