Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Nice on Saturday for an official visit to France, as confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The visit, at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, includes engagements in Nice from June 13-14, 2026, followed by visits to Evian and Paris from June 16-18, 2026.
Bilateral Meeting and 'Bharat Innovates' Inauguration
On June 14, PM Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with President Macron. The two leaders will jointly inaugurate the 'Bharat Innovates' event, which brings together leading innovation startups and venture capital funds from India, France, and other countries.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighted the significance of the visit, noting that the Prime Minister will also participate in the G7 Summit at Evian and attend the VivaTech event in Paris.
Historic Visit to Slovakia
In a post on X, the MEA stated: "Strengthening partnerships, advancing progress. PM @narendramodi has departed for the 2-nation visit to France and Slovakia. During the visit, PM will engage with the leadership of both countries. PM will inaugurate 'Bharat Innovates' event at Nice, participate in the G7 Summit at Evian and attend Vivatech event in Paris. Notably, this will be first-ever visit by an Indian PM to Slovakia since its independence."
The visit to Slovakia marks the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country since its independence.
Focus on Technology and Innovation
The visit is expected to strengthen India-France cooperation in technology, innovation, and investment. Indian diaspora members gathered in large numbers ahead of the meeting, expressing enthusiasm.
Parul, a member of the Indian diaspora, told ANI: "PM Modi is arriving here and it is a very proud moment for us. Whatever he has done for the country, India has earned a place for itself globally. I am very happy. It's a very proud moment that we will get to see him up close today. Welcome to Nice, PM Modi."
Kirti, another diaspora member, said she was happy to see PM Modi upon his arrival. "I am so happy and honoured to be here to see PM Modi," she told ANI.
Vivek, a member of the diaspora from Ayodhya, expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister. "I am from Ayodhya. Ram Mandir was long-awaited there. A good decision came after a really long time. So, we are really grateful to PM Modi and we are all excited," he said.
