Did French President Emmanuel Macron Deliberately Not Shake Hands With PM Modi?

On Tuesday, Modi and Macron addressed the AI Action Summit and participated in the 14th India-France CEOs Forum, highlighting economic and technological cooperation. This marks Modi's sixth visit to France, further strengthening bilateral ties. A video of the summit has gone viral on social media.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to France, where he is set to engage in a series of high-level meetings and events. On Wednesday, he arrived in Marseille to inaugurate the new Consulate General of India, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. The leaders have several key engagements planned, including a visit to the Mazargues War Cemetery to pay tribute to Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the World Wars. They are also scheduled to tour the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, a major global nuclear fusion collaboration.

On Tuesday, Modi and Macron addressed the AI Action Summit and participated in the 14th India-France CEOs Forum, highlighting economic and technological cooperation. This marks Modi's sixth visit to France, further strengthening bilateral ties. 

While the two leaders are holding a successful bilateral meeting taking India-France ties to a new high, a section of social media users claimed that French President Macron ignored or insulted PM Modi during the AI Summit when he did not shake hands with him but went on to shake hands with other world leaders. The video, since then, has gone viral on social media and is being shared by many Congress leaders.

Sorry not sorry: French President Emmanuel Macron greeted world leaders but did not shake hands with Indian PM Narendra Modi, despite Modi’s attempts at the Paris AI Summit. pic.twitter.com/a5S2PMoUTo — Clash Report (@clashreport) February 11, 2025

However, the video is a clipped short part of a long video where Macron can be seen entering the venue with PM Modi. Macron and Modi met outside the venue where the French President welcomed his Indian counterpart. The two leaders shook their hands, shared greetings and then entered the venue where other world leaders were seated. 

Kremlin spreads another fake "scandal"

Russian propaganda have circulated a misleading, out-of-context video, claiming that French President Emmanuel Macron allegedly refused to shake hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In reality, they had already shaken hands… pic.twitter.com/Ugvi3fCYZ2 — NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 11, 2025

Therefore, the claim being made in the viral video is untrue. Following his engagements in France, the Prime Minister will travel to the United States as part of his two-nation tour this evening.