Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left for France and Slovakia for his six-day visit. In his departure statement, Mr Modi highlighted that France has a special place in India’s strategic vision.
Mr Modi said the focus of the visit will be on boosting economic as well as cultural linkages between India and France.
He added that the visit will energise India’s Strategic Partnership with the European Union, of which Slovakia is an important and valued member.
The Prime Minister will inaugurate Bharat Innovates along with the French President Emmanuel Macron tomorrow. He said that this landmark event, being held against the backdrop of the India-France year of Innovation.
Mr Modi said that it 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.
Following this, Mr Modi will depart from Nice to Slovakia tomorrow for a two-day visit. He noted that this historic visit builds on the strong momentum in the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
Prime Minister Modi will meet Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico in Bratislava. He noted that the visit will energise India’s Strategic Partnership with the European Union, of which Slovakia is an important and valued member.
After concluding his visit to Slovakia, Mr Modi will travel to Evian, France where he will participate in the G7 Summit on the 16th and 17th of this month.
The Prime Minister emphasised that India’s presence at the G7 reflects the trust India’s partners place in the country’s growing global profile. Mr Modi said that this is the 8th consecutive G7 Summit to which India has been invited.
Finally, the Prime Minister will conclude his visit in Paris on 18th June, where he will attend VivaTech 2026 alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Prime Minister said that he is looking forward to meeting the members of the vibrant Indian community in Paris.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence that these visits will reinforce India’s deepening engagement with both Europe and the G7 and showcase India’s steadfast commitment to expanding the horizon of its partnerships with the continent and beyond.
The Indian diaspora in Slovakia is eagerly awaiting the arrival of PM Modi on his maiden visit to the country.
Indian Ambassador to the Slovak Republic, Apoorva Srivastava, has said that the finalisation of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement will pave the way for enhanced cooperation between India and Slovakia. She noted that bilateral trade between the two countries has already crossed 1.8 billion US dollars.
Ambassador Apoorva Srivastava said PM Modi’s visit would be instrumental in opening new avenues of cooperation. She added that both countries are looking forward to joint co-production and collaborative research in the defence sector, moving beyond the existing buyer-seller relationship.
The Ambassador also expressed confidence that the Prime Minister’s visit would create greater awareness about India and its tourism potential, thereby helping boost tourist inflows. She said Slovakia’s geographical location could serve as an added advantage in promoting tourism to India.