Tech can lead to Progress Only If Democratised; for
India AI means ‘All Inclusive’: Modi
New Delhi, JUne 18:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday outlined India’s vision for ArtificiaI Intelligence stating that its democratization is important for ensuring that its benefits reach everyone.Addressing the 10th edition of the VivaTech Summit, in Paris, PM Modi rolled out the red carpet for top tech companies emphasizing that his government is easing regulations and expanding ease of doing business. He asked the attendees to visit the India pavilion and get a feel of the startup innovation and India’s immense energy.The Summit, Europe’s largest technology and startup event, brings together startups, technology leaders and investors under one roof.He said that the India pavilion shows the prowess of India’s startup ecosystem. From world’s first 3D printed rocket engine to advanced genetic engineering therapies and AI solutions that detect cancers and other critical diseases, the India pavilion is host to emerging technology.The Prime Minister laid emphasis on the booming artificial intelligence (AI) technology improving access, driving economic growth and also help sustain our healthy planet.Weighing on the AI technology, PM Modi said that for India AI means all-inclusive underlining the importance of the principle of inclusivity that is at the heart of the Modi government.The Prime Minister asked everyone present to take the lead and work with India and deliver for all.Using the example of Sarlaben to showcase India’s AI prowess, PM Modi said that it is helping women dairy farmers in livestock management. Launched by Amul, Sarlaben is a voice-first AI assistant that helps dairy farmers managing their livestock right from their nutrition to health.The Prime Minister also delved on India’s great achievements in space technology stating that India was the first country to land near the south pole of the moon.On prioritising digital technology, PM Modi said that numerous lives are being transformed through government’s initiatives like the SVAMITVA scheme and the PM GatiShakti initiative.The Prime Minister said that India is a world leader in digital payments with half of world’s digital payment transactions happening in India through UPI.He also gave the example of DigiLocker that has led to 700 million people accessing authentic documents
Tech can lead
with no need for physical documents.”In the last decade, India has been going through a rapid transformation that is powered by technology. From creating the world’s largest digital identity system to the world’s largest digital payment platforms. We are using technology at a massive scale for financial inclusion, education, telemedicine, agriculture and more. Because of our unified payments interface or UPI, half of the world’s real-time digital transactions happen in India today. You can now use UPI in France too at the Eiffel Tower or the Paris airport. We have several examples of such world-class digital public goods. Digilocker is one of the world’s largest digital document wallet…”, the PM said.PM Modi is currently in France, where he participated in the G7 Summit over the last two days and held talks with several world leaders, including US President Donald Trump.Earlier on Thursday, he met leading business executives in Paris and held discussions on investment opportunities and expansion plans in India.The discussions with the CEOs of the French companies focused on strengthening cooperation across sectors ranging from shipping and logistics to railways, construction and artificial intelligence, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that technology can lead to progress only if it is democratised and said AI means “All Inclusive” for India.
His remarks at a global technology summit come against the backdrop of the US restricting the use of Anthropic’s latest Artificial Intelligence (AI) models for foreign nationals. Highlighting India’s growing prowess in the technology space, Modi said half of the global digital transactions are happening in the country.
“Technology can lead to progress only when it is democratised,” the Prime Minister said at Vivatech 2026. In the last decade, he said, India has been going through a rapid transformation powered by technology.
“From creating the world’s largest digital identity system to the world’s largest digital payments platforms, we are using technology at a massive scale for financial inclusion, education, telemedicine…,” he added.
Vivatech is Europe’s foremost gathering of technology and innovation, and India has set up the largest national pavilion at this edition as a symbol of the potential for partnership between Indian and European innovation ecosystems.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Paris and received a warm welcome from members of the Indian diaspora, as he underscored the importance of the India-France partnership for global progress. The prime minister arrived in Paris on Wednesday local time from the French commune of Evian-Les-Bains, where he attended the G7 Summit, to which India was invited as a guest country. Paris marks the final leg of Modi’s two-nation tour to France and Slovakia.
He met leading business executives here and held discussions focusing on investment opportunities and expansion plans in India. The CEOs who met the prime minister represented a wide range of sectors, including sustainable construction, mobility and AI.
Modi met Benoit Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Saint-Gobain, and discussed opportunities in the materials and construction sector, with a particular emphasis on sustainability, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a social media post.
It further said the prime minister noted Saint-Gobain’s “strong presence and investments in India, which are creating opportunities for Indian youth”. Bazin shared the company’s plans for “further investments and expansion in India”, the MEA said.
Modi also met Martin Sion, CEO of Alstom, and discussed opportunities in mobility and railway modernisation. The prime minister noted Alstom’s “significant investments and manufacturing presence in India, which are contributing to job creation and the growth of India’s rail sector,” the MEA said.
Sion shared Alstom’s plans for “further expansion and investments in India”. Modi also met Arthur Mensch, co-founder and CEO of Mistral AI, and highlighted the opportunities in India’s “growing AI ecosystem”.
Mensch expressed Mistral AI’s “strong interest in collaborating with India” and partnering with Indian companies “to drive innovation and expand AI capabilities”, according to the MEA.
“I arrived in Paris just a short while ago, where I was warmly welcomed by the Indian diaspora. I am proud of their efforts to bring India and France closer together,” Modi said in a social media post. “The India-France partnership is essential to the progress of our planet,” he said.
In Paris, Modi is scheduled to attend VivaTech 2026 alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and interact with the Indian community. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, VivaTech is Europe’s premier technology and innovation event, and India will have the largest national pavilion at this year’s edition, reflecting the growing potential for collaboration between the Indian and European innovation ecosystems.
The Indian diaspora in mainland France is estimated at around 119,000, while more than 350,000 people of Indian origin live in French overseas territories. Before leaving for Paris, Modi had described his engagements at the G7 Summit as “productive”, saying he had the opportunity to present India’s views and efforts on key areas of governance and policy-making.
He had also underlined the need for closer engagement with the Global South to ensure global prosperity. At an outreach session of the G7 on Wednesday, Modi proposed a framework to boost connectivity and trade by combining the strengths of the G7 nations, India and the Global South. He also flagged concerns over the long-term impact of the West Asia crisis on developing countries.
On Tuesday, the prime minister urged world leaders to move from a donor-recipient approach to partnerships based on solidarity and equality, while emphasising the importance of trust in international cooperation.
On the sidelines of the summit, Modi held bilateral meetings with several world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
India and France share a strategic partnership spanning defence, security, space, civil nuclear energy, climate action and emerging technologies, with both countries increasingly working together on issues relating to the Indo-Pacific, innovation and global governance.
