NEW DELHI (Feb 19, 2026) — Addressing the India AI Impact Summit, French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a powerful tribute to India’s digital transformation, stating that the nation has achieved a feat of democratization and scale that remains unparalleled globally.
A “Civilizational Story”
Macron framed India’s tech journey not merely as a series of coding milestones, but as a profound social shift:
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The Street Vendor Example: He noted how a Mumbai street vendor, who a decade ago had no papers or bank account, now accepts digital payments via phone—a shift he called a “civilizational story” rather than just a “technology story.”
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Democratizing AI: Macron praised India’s ability to “democratize” know-how, ensuring that high-tech tools reach the grassroots level rather than remaining restricted to the elite.
The Power of the “India Stack”
The President highlighted specific pillars of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) that have redefined the global digital economy:
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Digital Identity: Providing a secure digital ID for 1.4 billion people.
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Financial Scale: A payment system (UPI) now processing over 20 billion transactions monthly.
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Healthcare Impact: The issuance of 500 million digital health IDs.
A Shared Global Vision
Macron challenged the notion that AI is a “game only the biggest can play,” asserting that India, France, and Europe are building a third way:
“The future of AI will be built by those who combine innovation and responsibility, technology with humanity, and India and France will help to shape this future together.”
