LIVE: AI's Global Journey Has Major Role for 'Aspirational India': PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi joins hands with Google CEO Sundar Pichai, left, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman during the India AI Impact Summit 2026, in New Delhi. (@NarendraModi/Yt via PTI Photo)

French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the audience at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 on Thursday and applauded India for playing a key role in democratizing Digital Public Infrastructure. "Ten years ago, a street vendor cannot open a bank account in Mumbai but today he can accept payments online. No address, no papers, no access and today the same vendor accepts payments on his phone India has built something no other country has built, a digital identity for 1.4 billion people," Macron said.