PM arrives in France to hold talks with Macron, attend G-7 Summit

Modi-Trump to meet on June 17

NICE, June 13:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here in France on Saturday where he is scheduled to hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and also attend the G-7 Summit.

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In the first leg of the visit, the prime minister will hold a bilateral meeting with Macron on Sunday and also inaugurate ‘Bharat Innovates’ alongside the French president.

The event will bring together top innovation startups and Venture Capital funds from India, France, and other countries.

Both leaders will review the full spectrum of the India-France bilateral relationship, which was elevated to the level of a Special Global Strategic Partnership earlier this year.

Modi said India will not only speak for itself but also give voice to the aspirations of the Global South at the upcoming G7 Summit.

In his departure statement ahead of his week-long visit to France and Slovakia, during which he will attend the summit, Modi said India’s presence at the G7 reflects the trust its partners place in the country and its rising global profile.

From France, Modi will travel to Slovakia for a state visit on June 14-15, where he will hold talks with President Peter Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico in Bratislava and interact with business leaders.

The G7 Summit will be held in Evian, France, on June 16 and 17.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G-7 meeting in France on Wednesday, local media in Washington reported quoting US officials.

This will be the first meeting between the two leaders since February last year in Washington and comes against the backdrop of concerns over the death of Indian mariners on commercial ships targeted by the US navy in the Strait of Hormuz.

The meeting between Trump and Modi will also be the first face-to-face interaction since the India-US relationship hit a rough patch after Operation Sindoor and Washington's decision to impose heavy tariffs on New Delhi.

The two leaders have had a couple of phone calls and also agreed on a framework for an interim bilateral trade deal in February, which is being negotiated.

In his departure statement ahead of his week-long visit to France and Slovakia, Modi said.

"I am confident that my visits to France and the Slovak Republic will reinforce India's deepening engagement with both Europe and the G7, and showcase our steadfast commitment to expanding the horizon of our partnerships with the continent and beyond."

Modi said France occupies a special place in India's strategic vision while his visit to Slovakia -- the first by an Indian Prime Minister since the country's independence in 1993 -- marks a historic milestone and builds on the growing momentum in bilateral ties.

The Prime Minister said he was eagerly looking forward to inaugurating 'Bharat Innovates' alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in Nice on June 14.

This landmark event, being held against the backdrop of the India-France Year of Innovation, will connect India's most promising start-ups with global investment and serve as a major accelerator for innovations emerging from India's higher education ecosystem. (PTI)