‘India built something no other country in the world can’: French President Macron lauds UPI | India News

French President Emmanuel Macron opened his speech at the India AI Impact Summit with a traditional “namaste” on Thursday, praising India for achieving what he described as an unparalleled digital transformation.

Drawing attention to the country’s rapid technological progress, Macron noted the widespread adoption of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and stated that India has managed to create a digital identity ecosystem for 1.4 billion people, a feat that no other nation has achieved.

#WRISTWATCH | Delhi: In #IndiaAIIimpactSummit2026French President Emmanuel Macron said, “I started with the story of a street vendor in Mumbai. Ten years ago, the world told India that 1.4 billion people could not be brought into the digital economy. India proved them wrong.” pic.twitter.com/klKt5G1ans— ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2026

Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, Macron highlighted how technology has changed daily routine life for ordinary Indians. Starting with their address, “10 years ago a street vendor in Mumbai could not open a bank account”, “No address, no paperwork, no access. But today the same vendor accepts payment via his phone.”

“This is not a story of technology,” he said, “This is a story of civilization.”

“India has built something no other country in the world has built: a digital identity for 1.4 billion people, a payments system that now processes 20 billion transactions every month, a healthcare infrastructure that issues 500 million digital health IDs.” The President of France said.

During the five-day summit, which brought together business leaders, innovators and policymakers from the rapidly evolving field of AI, he lauded India’s progress in not only adopting AI but also making its knowledge and applications widely accessible.

Macron also praised India’s digital transformation and leadership in technology governance, describing the country’s achievements as a model for the rest of the world.

“Here are the results. They call it India Stack Open Interoperable Sovereign. That’s what this summit is about. We’re clearly at the beginning of a great momentum, and you’ve defined that perfectly during your interventions.” he said, addressing Prime Minister Modi.

Macron also said that India has proven the world wrong when it comes to digital technology.

“Ten years ago, the world said 1.4 billion people could not be included in the digital economy. India proved them wrong. And today, some say AI is a game only the biggest can play.”

He echoed Prime Minister Modi’s remarks on Monday and said the theme of the summit underlines India’s collective resolve to leverage artificial intelligence for people-centered development.

The six-day summit, which started on Monday, focuses on the theme “Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya”, meaning “prosperity for all, happiness for all”. This is the fourth annual global conference dedicated to artificial intelligence, following previous editions held in the United Kingdom in 2023, South Korea in 2024 and France in 2025.

This year’s India AI Impact Summit is the largest yet, bringing together more than 20 heads of state and more than 500 global AI leaders, including nearly 100 CEOs and founders.