Daily News - Tuesday, 17 February 2026

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron to launch India-France Year of Innovation 2026 (The Week)

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Mumbai on February 17, 2026, for a three‑day visit to strengthen the India–France strategic partnership. He was received by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar at the airport. Macron will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Lok Bhavan, South Mumbai, with a key agenda item being India’s potential procurement of 114 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has already approved a proposal worth ₹3.6 lakh crore (USD $43.2 billion) for this deal, adding to India’s existing fleet of 36 Rafales for the Air Force and 26 Rafale‑M jets for the Navy. Modi and Macron will also inaugurate the India–France Year of Innovation 2026, promoting collaboration among business leaders, start‑ups, researchers, and innovators. Macron’s visit coincides with the India AI Impact Summit, where he is accompanied by French business, cultural, and digital leaders to deepen cooperation across defence, technology, and industry.

Adani proposes nuclear projects across seven states, including Gujarat and Odisha (Business Today)

Adani Power announced the incorporation of Adani Atomic Energy Limited, a wholly‑owned subsidiary with an initial investment of ₹5 lakh (USD $6,000) to enter the nuclear energy sector. The company is in talks with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) for deployment of 220 MW Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) and Bharat Small Modular Reactors (BSMRs), based on India’s Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) technology, of which 16 units are already operational. Adani has submitted documents for a Non‑Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with NPCIL, while the Request for Proposal (RFP) for private sector participation is being revised after the passing of the SHANTI Act, which amended India’s atomic energy laws. The company has proposed nuclear projects across Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh, with NPCIL already seeking land and water allocation from state governments. Reports suggest Adani is negotiating with the Uttar Pradesh government to build a 1,600 MW nuclear project using eight 200 MW SMRs, while long‑term plans aim for 30 GW of nuclear capacity to replace its thermal portfolio. The initiative aligns with the Nuclear Energy Mission, under which Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is developing BSMR‑200 reactors at Tarapur and SMR‑55 units, targeting deployment in remote and industrial locations.

India’s AI Impact Summit 2026: 793 Events, But Critics See Spectacle Over Substance (The Wire)

The AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, hosted at Bharat Mandapam, features 793 public events, but analysis shows agenda‑setting power lies mainly with the Government of India and large technology corporations. Government bodies such as MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and IT), IndiaAI Mission, and Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), along with state IT departments from Goa, Odisha, and Telangana, account for about 40% of sessions. Multinational corporations and industry associations command another 35%, with prominence given to CEO Roundtables and Leaders’ Plenaries, while civil society and labor groups lack equivalent platforms. The summit’s Sanskrit‑based terminology (sutras and chakras) reflects cultural majoritarianism, aligning tech policy with political symbolism under the BJP‑led NDA government. Critics, including the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) and the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH), warn that India’s AI policy risks enabling surveillance, censorship, and exclusion, with human rights language largely absent from high‑level programming. The planned Delhi AI Resolution is expected to echo Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, but analysts caution it may prioritize optics, corporate interests, and nationalist pride over enforceable governance or rights‑based frameworks.

India’s trade deficit widens to USD $34.68 Billion in January as Gold imports surge 66% to USD $6.1 Billion (Economic Times)

India’s trade deficit widened sharply to USD $34.68 billion (INR 2.88 lakh crore) in January 2026, compared to USD $25.04 billion (INR 2.08 lakh crore) in December, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The surge was driven by a 66% rise in gold imports, which touched USD $6.1 billion (INR 50,700 crore), reflecting strong festive and wedding season demand. Overall merchandise imports rose 20% year‑on‑year to USD $64.2 billion (INR 5.34 lakh crore), while exports grew only 3.4% to USD $29.5 billion (INR 2.45 lakh crore), widening the gap. Key export sectors like engineering goods, textiles, and chemicals showed modest growth, while electronics and petroleum products saw declines. The Department of Commerce noted that India’s cumulative trade deficit for April–January FY26 now stands at USD $275 billion (INR 22.9 lakh crore), up from USD $245 billion (INR 20.4 lakh crore) in the same period last year. Analysts warn that rising imports, especially of gold and crude oil, could pressure the current account deficit, prompting closer monitoring by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Finance Ministry.