Macron strongly endorsed India's digital transformation, highlighting its pioneering AI system and digital identity architecture for 1.4 billion people. He called India's digital ecosystem unique and capable of serving its entire population at scale.
Explorer
AI Impact Summit 2026: Macron Says India Built What No Other Nation Has - A Digital System For 1.4 Billion
Macron said India has developed an AI system that no other country has managed to replicate in terms of scale and integration.
He highlighted the country’s rapid progress in combining artificial intelligence with large-scale public digital infrastructure.
Source : ANI
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday strongly endorsed India’s digital transformation, saying the country has built a pioneering artificial intelligence system and created a digital identity architecture serving 1.4 billion people.
Delivering his keynote address at the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Macron praised India’s ability to deploy technology at population scale, calling its digital ecosystem unique in the world.
“India Has Built What No Other Country Has”
Macron said India has developed an AI system that no other country has managed to replicate in terms of scale and integration. He highlighted the country’s rapid progress in combining artificial intelligence with large-scale public digital infrastructure.
The French President also applauded India’s digital payment system, describing it as a transformative platform that has reshaped financial access and inclusion. He noted that India’s digital public infrastructure has become a model for other nations exploring similar systems.
Digital Identity For 1.4 Billion People
In a significant remark, Macron said India has successfully created a digital identity framework for 1.4 billion people. an achievement he suggested was unprecedented globally.
“India built something that no other country in the world has built. A digital identity for 1.4 billion people. A payment system that now processes 20 billion transactions every month. A health infrastructure that has issued 500 million digital health IDs. Here are the results. They call it the India Stack Open Interoperable Sovereign,” he noted.
He praised India for building a digital ecosystem capable of serving its entire population, emphasising how such infrastructure enables efficient service delivery, financial inclusion and technological innovation at scale.
He highlighted the scale of change India has achieved over the past decade, particularly in financial inclusion.
“10 years ago, a street vendor in Mumbai could not open a bank account. No address, no papers, no access and today the same vendor accepts payments on his phone,” he said, pointing to the transformation enabled by digital infrastructure.
A Moment Of Global Technological Acceleration
Reflecting on the pace of change, Macron said the world stands at the threshold of a rapid technological acceleration.
“That is what this summit is about. We are clearly at the beginning of a huge acceleration, and you perfectly described it during your interventions,” he said, acknowledging Prime Minister Modi’s articulation of the future trajectory of artificial intelligence.
The French President’s address reinforced the strategic and technological partnership between India and France, with both nations advocating responsible and sovereign applications of AI.
Summit Anchored In ‘People, Planet, Progress’
The India AI Impact Summit 2026, being held at Bharat Mandapam from February 16 to 20, has brought together countries and international institutions to deliberate on the responsible deployment of artificial intelligence.
The discussions are structured around three foundational pillars, or ‘Sutras’: People, Planet and Progress, reflecting India’s emphasis on multilateral cooperation, inclusive innovation and sustainable growth.
President Macron’s remarks complemented India’s broader message at the summit: that technological advancement must remain rooted in human values, democratic governance and shared global prosperity.
The summit was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with discussions focusing on AI governance, ethical deployment, innovation ecosystems and international cooperation.
Related Video
Breaking News: Iran Moves to Impose Tax on Strait of Hormuz Shipping
Frequently Asked Questions
What did French President Emmanuel Macron praise about India's digital transformation?
What is unique about India's AI system according to Macron?
Macron stated that India has developed an AI system that no other country has managed to replicate in terms of scale and integration. He emphasized the rapid progress in combining AI with large-scale public digital infrastructure.
How has India's digital payment system been described?
Macron applauded India's digital payment system as a transformative platform that has reshaped financial access and inclusion. It currently processes 20 billion transactions every month.
What is the significance of India's digital identity framework?
Macron highlighted that India has successfully created a digital identity framework for 1.4 billion people, an unprecedented global achievement. This infrastructure enables efficient service delivery and financial inclusion.
Advertisement
Top Headlines
Business
Govt Waives Customs Duty On Key Petrochemicals Till June 30 Amid West Asia Crisis
Election
West Bengal: SIR Officials Confined Till Late Night Over Voter List Dispute In Malda’s Kaliachak
Business
Markets Open In Red: Sensex Plunges 1,474 Points At Open; Nifty Slips Below 22,250 Amid Trump’s Iran Warning
Cities
Nitish Kumar's Security Likely To Be Doubled After Resigning As Bihar CM
Advertisement
Advertisement
