Macron highlights India’s digital model at AI Summit

The India AI Impact Summit brought together global leaders, ministers and industry representatives to discuss international cooperation on artificial intelligence, with a focus on sovereign AI development, inclusive access to technology and cross-border collaboration.

Among the keynote speakers was Emmanuel Macron, who highlighted India’s digital transformation and outlined France’s own investments in AI and emerging technologies.

Macron Praises India’s Digital Transformation

Commending India’s progress over the past decade, Macron said the country had achieved something unmatched globally in digital public infrastructure.

“Ten years ago, a street vendor in Mumbai could not open a bank account, no address, no papers, no access. Today, the same vendor accepts payments on his phone, free of charge, from anyone in the country. That is not just a technology story; it is a civilisation story,” he said.

Macron pointed to India’s creation of a digital identity system covering 1.4 billion people, alongside a payments platform processing around 20 billion transactions each month. He also referenced the country’s digital health infrastructure, which has issued approximately 500 million digital health IDs.

He described these interoperable public digital systems, often referred to collectively as the “India Stack”, as an example of open and sovereign digital architecture. “That is what this summit is about,” he said, linking India’s experience to broader discussions on inclusive and sovereign AI systems.

France’s AI Investment and Energy Strategy

Macron also outlined France’s AI roadmap, recalling that in Paris last year the country announced $109 billion in AI-related investments. He said implementation is under way, including the construction of multiple data centres supported by 58 billion Euros in 2025 funding.

He emphasised the role of France’s low-carbon nuclear energy mix in supporting AI infrastructure. France exported 90 terawatt-hours of low-carbon, dispatchable energy last year, he said, describing this as a strategic advantage for building large-scale data centres with a reduced carbon footprint.

Focus on Quantum Computing

Addressing future technologies, Macron said France is pursuing multiple approaches to quantum computing.

“In quantum computing, the next frontier, France is not placing one bet. We are placing four,” he said, referring to four domestic technology pathways and companies working in the field. He said the objective is to position France among the leading nations in next-generation computing technologies.

New Indo-French Initiatives