Punjab Newsline | New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday departed for a two-nation visit to France and Slovakia, with defence cooperation expected to be a key focus during his discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron. The visit comes as India seeks to further strengthen its military capabilities amid increasing strategic competition in key maritime regions.
Before leaving, PM Modi shared a message on X, stating that his visit would include bilateral talks, multilateral meetings, and interactions with the Indian diaspora. He said the primary objective of the tour is to deepen economic and cultural relations between India and its European partners.
The Prime Minister’s visit will begin in Nice, where he will participate in the 'India Innovates' programe alongside President Macron. The event is being organised as part of the India-France Innovation Year celebrations and will bring together innovators, startups, and technology leaders from both countries.
PM Modi also announced that he would hold bilateral talks with President Macron in Nice to review the full spectrum of the India-France Strategic Partnership and explore new avenues of cooperation, including defence and technology.
At the invitation of President Macron, PM Modi will be on an official visit to Nice on June 13-14, where both leaders are expected to conduct comprehensive discussions on bilateral relations.
In the third leg of his tour, the Prime Minister will return to France from June 16-17 to attend the G7 Summit in Evian, where he will engage with leaders of G7 nations, partner countries, and international organisations on major global issues.
The final phase of the visit will take PM Modi to Paris on June 18, where he will hold several bilateral meetings and participate in the VivaTech Summit, Europe's largest technology and startup event, highlighting India's growing innovation ecosystem on the global stage.
