
CEOs of Chanel, Alphabet, Adobe all Indian: Macron's big praise for India
India Today
Emmanuel Macron praised India's rising global influence in innovation at the India–France Innovation Forum in Mumbai, citing Indian-origin CEOs at IBM and Microsoft. He also noted that Chanel's CEO is from Kolhapur, Maharashtra, where he was delivering his address.
French President Emmanuel Macron praised India’s growing global influence in innovation, highlighting Indian-origin CEOs leading major multinational companies from IBM to Microsoft at the India–France Innovation Forum in Mumbai.
What particularly caught attention was Macron’s eye for detail when he noted that the CEO of French luxury brand Chanel comes from Kolhapur in Maharashtra -- the state where he was delivering his address -- as he praised the region’s contribution to global leadership.
"The CEO of Alphabet is Indian. The CEO of Microsoft is Indian. The CEO of IBM is Indian. The CEO of Adobe is Indian. The CEO of Palo Alto Networks is Indian. The CEO of Chanel is from Kolhapur, right here in this state...India does not just participate in global innovation; India leads it," he said.
Macron’s observation brought smiles to the faces of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who were also present at the event.
India and France on Tuesday elevated their relations to a "special global strategic partnership" and vowed to boost cooperation in key sectors of defence, trade and critical minerals with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron describing the bilateral ties as a "force for global stability" in the face of increasing geopolitical turbulence.

India on Monday said it has not held bilateral talks with the United States on deploying naval vessels to secure merchant shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The clarification came after US President Donald Trump urged countries to send warships to keep the strategic waterway open amid tensions with Iran.












