Emmanuel Macron and Narendra Modi are not just talking AI—they’re buying it. Both leaders have locked in multibillion-dollar deals to build AI data center infrastructure, staking their countries’ claims in the global tech race.
Macron personally convinced SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son to commit up to €75 billion for AI data centers in France. The first phase alone, worth €45 billion, will deliver 3.1 gigawatts of capacity across three sites in Hauts-de-France by 2031. Macron met Son in Japan earlier this year and hammered out the deal through face-to-face talks and text messages—because nothing says “let’s build AI” like a well-timed emoji chain.
SoftBank’s plan aims for 5 gigawatts in total. EDF, the French energy giant, is already onboard as the energy partner. Macron also leveraged France’s G7 presidency to host a working lunch with AI leaders including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, and Mistral. “When friends connect, innovation follows,” Macron said. Son echoed the sentiment, praising the collaboration between his group and the French government.
On the other side of the world, Modi is locking down his own AI empire. Late June, he secured a $48 billion investment from Amazon, slated for 2026 through 2030. $21 billion of that will build AI and cloud infrastructure in Mumbai and Hyderabad. Modi also held bilateral meetings with 16 AI startup CEOs at the India AI Impact Summit in February, underscoring his commitment to domestic innovation.
Reliance Industries is pumping $110 billion into AI infrastructure over seven years. Google pledged $15 billion to India’s first gigawatt-scale AI hub. OpenAI is partnering with Tata Group to build 100 megawatts of capacity, with plans to scale to one gigawatt. Modi’s mantra is clear: “India doesn’t see worry in AI. India sees fortune in AI. India sees the future in AI.” His call to “Design and Develop in India to deliver to the world” signals ambitions beyond borders.
The stakes are high. While France and India race to build physical AI infrastructure, the UK paused its Stargate UK data center project in April due to soaring electricity costs and regulatory red tape. Meanwhile, China is pushing a different strategy—offering AI capabilities to developing nations as a geopolitical lever.
France’s and India’s approaches reflect their ambitions. France bets on massive energy-hungry data centers powered by strong partnerships and government support. India rides a wave of tech giants and startups funneling investment into cloud and AI hubs. Both Macron and Modi are proving that winning the AI infrastructure race requires more than policies—it demands personal engagement with global tech powerhouses.
Based on
- Macron and Modi are winning the AI infrastructure race with text messages and personal meetings — thenextweb.com
- Macron, Modi court tech CEOs in AI infrastructure race – The Nation Times — thenationtimes.com
- Macron and Modi turn on personal charm offensives as France and India race to secure AI investment – Techno Hulk – Latest Technology Updates — technohulk.com
- India and Japan expand AI and economic security ties – Gulf Peninsula — gulfpeninsula.com
- Macron and Modi Highlight AI Innovation and Friendship at Impact Summit (2026) — gerbangbengkulu.com
