Macron and Modi engage with tech CEOs in the competition for AI infrastructure.

      **TL;DR** Macron and Modi are actively engaging with tech CEOs to secure investments in AI infrastructure. Macron reached out to SoftBank’s Son for a €75 billion data centre deal, while Modi garnered $48 billion from Amazon following a direct meeting with CEO Jassy.

      The global competition for AI infrastructure has evolved into a matter of personal connections. French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are the most proactive in this endeavor, personally approaching leaders of major technology firms to attract investments for data centres that will shape the future deployment and training of AI systems.

      Their approaches vary in style but revolve around the principle that financial decision-makers are more responsive to direct interactions with heads of state rather than policy documents. So far, their efforts have resulted in commitments of tens of billions of dollars.

      **Macron’s Strategy**

      Macron's key achievement occurred in May when SoftBank pledged up to €75 billion to develop 5 gigawatts of AI data centre capacity in France. The initial phase, costing €45 billion, aims to provide 3.1 gigawatts at three sites in the Hauts-de-France region by 2031, utilizing a former EDF power plant in Bouchain as one of the locations.

      The agreement stemmed from personal dialogue; Macron met SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son during a trip to Japan earlier this year, subsequently negotiating details through text messages.

      In June, Macron leveraged France’s G7 presidency to host a working lunch with world leaders and CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, and Mistral. The preceding Choose France Summit garnered €93 billion in total investment commitments, prominently featuring AI infrastructure.

      **Modi’s Strategy**

      Modi has adopted a similar but distinct strategy, partnering with different entities. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy met Modi in New Delhi in late June, where he declared a $48 billion investment commitment through 2030, including $21 billion for AI and cloud infrastructure expansion in Mumbai and Hyderabad.

      At the India AI Impact Summit in February, Modi conducted bilateral talks with 16 AI startup leaders, such as Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, and Demis Hassabis. Additionally, India was the AI Country Partner at VivaTech 2026 in Paris, showcasing over 80 Indian deep-tech companies alongside European counterparts.

      India’s potential in this sector is vast. Reliance Industries has pledged $110 billion towards AI infrastructure over seven years, Google announced $15 billion for what it describes as India’s first gigawatt-scale AI hub, and OpenAI is collaborating with Tata Group to develop 100 megawatts of capacity, with plans to expand to one gigawatt.

      **Challenges They Face**

      The UK serves as a cautionary example, with OpenAI halting its Stargate UK data centre project in April due to electricity costs approximately four times higher than those in the U.S. and unresolved issues regarding AI copyright regulations.

      China is pursuing an entirely different strategy, utilizing AI capabilities as a geopolitical tool to influence developing nations, while the G7 deliberates over export controls. Therefore, Macron and Modi are not only competing against one another but also against a differing approach that views AI distribution as a form of diplomacy.

      **The Pledge Dilemma**

      The financial commitments come with notable caveats. SoftBank’s €75 billion is a pledge of “up to” that amount, Amazon's $48 billion total is spread over multiple years from 2026 to 2030, and the £31 billion in UK tech investment promises associated with Stargate UK have largely not materialized.

      In contrast, France currently has construction in progress at designated sites with EDF as an energy collaborator, and India has formal contracts with specific deadlines and reputable corporate partners connected to delivery. The key question remains whether the personal relationships that helped secure these commitments can withstand the long timelines of construction, permitting, and energy procurement—something that neither charm nor text messaging can clarify.