PM Modi arrives in Nice, strengthening India’s bonds of friendship with its key development partners

Nice, June 13 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Nice, France, on Saturday for his official State visit at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.

“I have just landed in Nice. Beyond Nice, this visit to France includes programmes in Evian and Paris. It will be marked by bilateral and multilateral meetings, aimed at strengthening India’s bonds of friendship with its key development partners,” Prime Minister Modi said on X.

“I look forward to meeting President Macron tomorrow and being present at ‘Bharat Innovates’,” he added.

Prime Minister Modi will hold bilateral talks with French President Macron in Nice on June 14, during which the two leaders will review the full spectrum of their bilateral relationship.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two leaders will also jointly inaugurate the ‘Bharat Innovates’ event, which will bring together leading startups and venture capital funds from India, France and several other countries.

“Being held during the ‘India-France Year of Innovation’, this signature event reinforces the vibrant innovation partnership that exists between the two countries,” MEA had noted

The visit reflects the continued momentum of high-level exchanges between India and France. It aims to deepen relations across all areas of bilateral cooperation, with a focus on innovation, science and technology, economy, cultural and people-to-people ties.

Prime Minister Modi will hold the first bilateral summit with President Macron in Nice after the elevation of ties to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership”.

At the invitation of President Macron, the Prime Minister will participate in the G7 Summit in Evian, France, on June 16-17.

According to the MEA, India’s presence at the G7 reflects its standing as a leading voice of the Global South and a key partner in addressing shared global challenges.

Prime Minister Modi will visit Paris on June 18, where, alongside President Macron, he will attend the VivaTech Summit, Europe’s largest technology and startup event.

The Vivatech Summit will host an Indian pavilion which will be the largest pavilion at the Summit this year.

“Prime Minister Modi’s participation in both ‘Bharat Innovates’ and Vivatech Summit will spotlight India as a global hub for innovation, digital transformation, and entrepreneurship, and is expected to catalyse new partnerships between Indian and European technology ecosystems,” the MEA noted.

–IANS

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