PM Modi Arrives In France On First-leg Of Two-Nation Visit

New Delhi/Paris: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in France on Saturday for a visit during which he will hold talks with President Emmanuel Macron, participate in the G7 Summit and attend key innovation-focused events aimed at strengthening bilateral ties. Modi arrived in Nice on the first leg of his five-day visit to France and Slovakia.

He was received at Nice Cote d’Azur Airport by France’s Education Minister Edouard Geffray; Minister of Higher Education, Research and Space Philippe Baptiste; French Ambassador to India Thierry Mathou; and Nice Mayor Eric Ciotti, among other dignitaries.

In a social media post after his arrival, Modi said, “Landed in Nice. In addition to Nice, this France visit includes programmes in Evian and Paris. There will be bilateral and multilateral engagements, which will be aimed at improving India’s friendships with key developmental partners. I look forward to meeting President Macron tomorrow and to being at ‘Bharat Innovates’.”

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. In a social media post, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen India-France cooperation across key sectors.

“The innovation sector will be a key focus area as India and France together celebrate Year 2026 as the ‘Year of Innovation’. The ‘Bharat Innovates’ event @BharatInnov2026 will showcase India’s vibrant innovation ecosystem and offer a platform for startups and innovators to present their cutting-edge solutions and products,” he said.

PM Modi also received a warm welcome from members of the Indian diaspora, who gathered in large numbers waving the tricolour and raising chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”. The prime minister was greeted by enthusiastic members of the Indian community outside his hotel, where a vibrant traditional dance performance added a cultural touch to the welcome.