PM Modi to reach Nice tonight on first leg of two-nation visit to France and Slovakia

New Delhi, June 13
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has departed for France and the Slovak Republic on a six-day visit that is being seen as a defining moment in India’s engagement with Europe. It is Prime Minister Modi’s seventh visit to France since 2014, and his first to the continent since the landmark India-European Union Free Trade Agreement was finalised in January this year. France, which shares with India one of its oldest and most trusted strategic partnerships in the Western world, will be the centrepiece of the visit.

France occupies a special place in India’s strategic vision. Earlier this year, during President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India, the two countries elevated their ties to a Special Global Strategic Partnership, reflecting a shared ambition to shape global solutions.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Nice tonight at 10:30 pm IST, attention is focused on a series of high-level engagements aimed at deepening cooperation across innovation, technology and strategic sectors. Tomorrow, at 2:30 pm, Prime Minister Modi and President Macron will jointly inaugurate Bharat Innovates, India’s flagship deep-tech showcase in Europe.

More than 120 Indian startups, along with global investors, CEOs and technology leaders, will participate in the event being held during the India-France Year of Innovation. Prime Minister Modi will also hold bilateral talks with President Macron. Discussions are expected to cover defence, artificial intelligence, space, trade, education and other global challenges. In Nice, expectations are high that the visit will inject fresh momentum into one of India’s most trusted strategic partnerships and strengthen India’s engagement with Europe.