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PremiumNarendra Modi France Visit LIVE News: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins a two-day visit to France on Thursday where he will attend the traditional Bastille Day military parade as guest of honour and discuss major new defence deals, AFP reported.
French President Emmanuel Macron's red-carpet welcome for the Hindu nationalist leader comes weeks after Modi was given the rare honour of a White House state dinner in Washington -- a city he was once banned from visiting.
Despite differences over the war in Ukraine and tensions over human rights in India, New Delhi and Western democracies are keen on deepening ties because of mutual concerns about China.
"India is one of the pillars of our Indo-Pacific strategy," an aide to Macron told reporters this week on condition of anonymity.
Macron has made Modi guest of honour for the July 14 military parade, which kicks off France's national day celebrations, with the participation of Indian troops and Indian-flown French-made fighter jets underlining close defence ties.
India is one of the biggest buyers of French arms, with Modi announcing a landmark deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets during a trip to Paris in 2015 that was worth around 4.0 billion euros ($4.24 billion) at the time.
He is set to unveil the purchase of another 26 marine versions of the state-of-the-art aircraft during this visit, as well as a deal for three Scorpene-class submarines, according to reports by the Tribune news website in France and the Hindustan Times newspaper in India. New Delhi is seeking to rapidly modernize its armed forces, with fears about China's assertiveness heightened by simmering disputes along its Himalayan frontier, AFP reported.
While addressing the Indian community at an event in Paris on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about his four-decade-old association with France.
He recalled about taking the membership of Alliance Francaise - the cultural centre of France in India, around 40 years back, and that he was the first person who got registered with it.
India and France have agreed to use Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment mechanism which will begin from the iconic Eiffel Tower, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Thursday. He said Indian tourists in France will now be able to make payments in rupees.
In his address, PM Modi also noted that India is witnessing a big change and that the command of this lies with its citizens.
"Today, the land of India is witnessing a big change, and the command of this change lies with its citizens, with the sisters, daughters and with the youth of India," PM Modi said while adding that the whole world is full of new hope for India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred with the highest honour of France, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, by French President Emmanuel Macron, an official statement said.
Modi was accorded a red-carpet welcome as he arrived in Paris on a two-day visit on Thursday. He will join Macron for the French National Day celebrations on Friday as the Guest of Honour.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the issues regarding the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards in Reunion Island have been resolved. He said that OCI cards are being issued there and the government is now trying to resolve the issue in Martinique and Guadeloupe.
Squadron Leader Reddy is a helicopter pilot of the Indian Air Force. She will lead the 68-member IAF contingent at the parade that will be graced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the guest of honour.
A 269-member Indian tri-services contingent will participate in the parade. Three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force will also join the flypast on the occasion along with French jets.
PM Narendra Modi will attend the Bastille Day parade in Paris tomorrow as the guest of honour. After the parade, the PM will attend a lunch hosted by the President of the National Assembly of France. After this, the PM will meet prominent personalities.
PM Modi will also be accorded a ceremonial welcome tomorrow and will have tete-a-tete and delegation-level talks. The PM will also attend the CEO Forum event and banquet dinner in Louvre.
The Indian Navy's indigenously designed and built guided missile destroyer INS Chennai is in France to participate in the Bastille Day celebrations, officials said on Thursday.
An Indian military contingent comprising all three services will participate in the Bastille Day celebrations in France on July 14 where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the guest of honour.
"Indian Navy's indigenously designed and built guided missile destroyer INS Chennai is in Brest, France, to participate in the Bastille Day celebrations at Brest," a senior official said.
Prime Minister Modi arrived in Paris on Thursday on a two-day visit. (PTI)
PM Narendra Modi on 13 July landed in Paris for an official two-day visit. He has been been invited as the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an interview with French newspaper Les Echos, said that India is deeply concerned about the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war. He added that India has always stood for peaceful resolution of differences through dialogue and diplomacy.
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France, French President’s diplomatic advisor Emmanuel Bonne met him and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during an interview with French newspaper ‘Les Echos’, said that the primary UN body cannot claim to be speaking for the world when its most populous country and the largest democracy is not a permanent member.
“We live in an era of new technology. New powers have risen causing a relative shift in global balance. We face new challenges, including climate change, cyber security, terrorism, space security, pandemics. I could go on about the changes. In this changed world, many questions arise - are these representative of today's world? Are they able to discharge the roles for which they were set up? Do countries around the world feel that these organizations matter, or are relevant?" PM Modi said.
He said, "How can the UN Security Council claim to be speaking for the world, when its most populous country and largest democracy is not a permanent member?" (PTI)
India’s indigenously built stealth destroyer INS Chennai and the country’s naval personnel arrived in France on Wednesday for the French National Day celebrations on July 14.
"A warm welcome in France to India’s indigenously built stealth destroyer INS Chennai, and our naval personnel. Symbol of India’s naval power. Here for the French National Day on July 14, with PM @narendramodi as the GoH. A message of India-France maritime security partnership," Indian Ambassador to France Jawed Ashraf tweeted on Wednesday. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed confidence that his visit to France will provide a new impetus to the bilateral strategic partnership, and said that he looks forward to holding wide-ranging discussions with President Emmanuel Macron on taking forward the time-tested relationship over the next 25 years.
In his departure statement, Modi said his visit to France was particularly special as he will join President Macron for the French National Day, or Bastille Day celebrations in Paris as the Guest of Honour.
An Indian tri-services contingent will be part of the Bastille Day Parade, while an Indian Air Force aircraft will perform a fly-past on the occasion, he said.
Noting that this year marks the 25th anniversary of India-France strategic partnership, he said that rooted in deep trust and commitment, the two countries cooperate closely across various domains, including defence, space, civil nuclear, blue economy, trade, investment, education, culture and people-to-people ties. (ANI)
Stressing that India-France partnership aims to advance a free, open, inclusive, secure and stable Indo Pacific region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the two nations also aim to help other countries in the area.
The PM said this to the French newspaper ‘Les Echos’ ahead of his two-day official visit to France that spans from July 13-14.
On being asked about the India-France partnership in the Indo-Pacific, Prime Minister Modi said it is "influencing the course of the Indo Pacific region" as the two nations are the major resident powers in the Indian Ocean region.
“Our partnership aims to advance a free, open, inclusive, secure and stable Indo Pacific region, working together and with others in the region who share our vision. There is a strong defence and security component that extends from seabed to space. It also seeks to help other countries in the region and strengthen the regional institutions for security cooperation and norm setting," he told the French daily as per the English translation of the interview. (ANI)
As per the proposals, the Indian Navy will get 22 single-seated Rafale Marine aircraft along with four trainer aircraft, ANI reported.
The Navy has been pressing for acquiring these fighter aircraft and submarines urgently as the force has been facing shortages in view of the security challenges around the country.
The aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and Vikrant have been operating the MiG-29s and need the Rafales for operations on both carriers.
Meanwhile, the three Scorpene class submarines would be acquired under the repeat clause by the Navy as part of Project 75 and would be built at the Mazagon Dockyards Limited in Mumbai. (ANI)
Indian community in France's capital, Paris, is ecstatic and upbeat about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country. PM Modi will visit France from July 13-14 at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.
He is also scheduled to attend the Bastille Day Parade on July 14.
Members of Indian diaspora in Paris on Wednesday (local time) said that they are all excited to welcome PM Modi, and they will be presenting a special turban to him.
Jayesh Bhavse, Indian Gujarati Cultural Association President, said that they have been preparing to welcome PM Modi as soon as they came to know about his visit. He said that they will present a special turban to PM Modi which will include flags of India and France. (ANI)
India's defence ministry has given initial approval to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets made by Dassault Aviation and three Scorpene class submarines to be made by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders with France's Naval Group, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. Read the full story here.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins a two-day visit to France on Thursday where he will attend the traditional Bastille Day military parade as guest of honour and discuss major new defence deals.
French President Emmanuel Macron's red-carpet welcome for the Hindu nationalist leader comes weeks after Modi was given the rare honour of a White House state dinner in Washington -- a city he was once banned from visiting.
Despite differences over the war in Ukraine and tensions over human rights in India, New Delhi and Western democracies are keen on deepening ties because of mutual concerns about China.
"India is one of the pillars of our Indo-Pacific strategy," an aide to Macron told reporters this week on condition of anonymity. (AFP)
India is deeply concerned about the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war, especially on the countries of the Global South, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, asserting that the conflict must end.
Celebrating the strong bilateral ties between India and France, the landmark building of French Foreign Affairs Ministry has been decked up ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country.
India has relied on French fighter jets for four decades now. Much before buying Rafale in 2015, India bought Mirage jets in 1980s, which still comprise two squadrons of the air force.
In 2005, India bought six Scorpene-class diesel submarines from France for 188 billion rupees ($2.29 billion), the last of which will be commissioned next year. (Reuters)
India's defence ministry has given initial approval to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets made by Dassault Aviation and three Scorpene class submarines to be made by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders with France's Naval Group, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.
PM Narendra Modi said that India and France have a broad-based and comprehensive strategic partnership that encompasses political, defence, security, economic, human-centric development and sustainability cooperation.
“When countries with similar vision and values work together, bilaterally, in plurilateral arrangements or in regional institutions, they can deal with any challenge."
India is deeply concerned about the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war, especially on the countries of the Global South, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, asserting that the conflict must end.
In an interview to French newspaper Les Echos, he said India has always stood for peaceful resolution of differences through dialogue and diplomacy, and for respecting sovereignty of all nations while replying to questions about an "aggressive" China.
To a query on China and if its massive investment in its defense capabilities is threatening the security of the region, Modi said while peace is necessary for the future India seeks to build, it is far from assured.
"Our interests in the Indo-Pacific region are vast, and our engagement is deep. I have described our vision for this region in one word – SAGAR, which stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region. While peace is necessary for the future we seek to build, it is far from assured," he said.
Hailing the bilateral ties between India and France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the relationship between the two countries are in an 'excellent' space and stood steady and resilient through the 'darkest storms'.
PM Modi has embarked on a visit to France at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron. His two-day visit, on July 13 and 14, is special as this year marks the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between India and France.
In an interview to French newspaper Les Echos before departing for France, PM Modi said, "First of all, on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, I wish to convey my heartfelt gratitude to France, to its government and personally to President Macron for inviting India to 14th July National day celebrations as Guest of honour. I feel grateful to visit France on this occasion. This is a special year as it marks the 25th anniversary of our strategic partnership. It is an honour for India and a tribute to India-France friendship."
PM Modi will be the Guest of Honour at the French Bastille Day celebrations at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron, on July 14. (ANI)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to France on Thursday to deepen ties with New Delhi's oldest strategic partner in the West, with a slew of high-profile defence deals expected and a new joint plan to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific, reported Reuters.
Modi has been invited as the guest of honour at the Bastille Day celebrations by French President Emmanuel Macron. Units from India's army, navy and air force will also participate in the parade, including two of the 36 Rafale fighter jets India bought in 2015 for nearly $9 billion.
The visit will "provide an opportunity to chart the course of the partnership for the future across diverse sectors such as strategic, cultural, scientific, academic and economic cooperation," the Indian government said in a statement on Wednesday.
This year marks 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries, and the announcement of the new military deals will burnish the deepening defence ties between the two nations. (Reuters)
Indian Ambassador to France Jawed Ashraf on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending Bastille Day celebrations in France is a sign that the India-France strategic partnership is very close, strong and its role will increase in time to come.
PM Modi attending July 14 Bastille Day celebrations as the guest of honour in Paris “is a sign that India and France's strategic partnership is very close. It is very strong and its role will increase in the coming times, not only for both of us, not only for Europe and India but also for the whole world," the Indian Ambassador to France said.
Jawed Ashraf said India-France relations are important. He added that the present moment is India’s moment and the whole world says this. (ANI)
Indian Ambassador to France Jawed Ashraf on Wednesday said that the relations between India and France are not limited to any specific area.
"India and France are strong countries in terms of technology. There is a high level of complementarity and trust between us. The sky is the limit on how much we can work together. India and France share the view of reinvigorating our own industries, to build economies self-reliant on technologies. There are enormous opportunities for cooperation in many areas including the most sensitive areas. Today, French companies are looking at India as an integral part of a global supply chain," the Indian envoy to France said while speaking to ANI.
The Ambassador spoke at length with ANI where he explained in detail about the bilateral relations between India and France.
Jawed Ashraf said that be it at the UN, in multilateral forums or on international platforms, India and France have always shown a good partnership with each other. (ANI)
Stressing that India-France partnership aims to advance a free, open, inclusive, secure and stable Indo Pacific region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the two nations also aim to help other countries in the area.
The PM said this to the French newspaper ‘Les Echos’ ahead of his two-day official visit to France that spans from July 13-14.
On being asked about the India-France partnership in the Indo-Pacific, Prime Minister Modi said it is "influencing the course of the Indo Pacific region" as the two nations are the major resident powers in the Indian Ocean region.
“Our partnership aims to advance a free, open, inclusive, secure and stable Indo Pacific region, working together and with others in the region who share our vision. There is a strong defence and security component that extends from seabed to space. It also seeks to help other countries in the region and strengthen the regional institutions for security cooperation and norm setting," he told the French daily as per the English translation of the interview. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India's stand on the Ukraine war remains clear, transparent and consistent.
Narendra Modi in an interview with Les Echos, a French financial newspaper, said, “India's stand has been clear, transparent and consistent. I have said that it is not an era of war. We have urged both sides to resolve issues through dialogue and diplomacy. I told them that India is ready to support all genuine efforts that can help bring this conflict to an end."
This comes at a time when Ukraine secured new commitments of weapons and ammunition to combat Russia's invasion but received an absence of Ukraine's NATO membership during the conclusion of the alliance's annual summit. Read the full story here.
Hailing the bilateral ties between India and France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the relationship between the two countries are in an 'excellent' space and stood steady and resilient through the 'darkest storms'.
PM Modi has embarked on a visit to France at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron. His two-day visit, on July 13 and 14, is special as this year marks the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between India and France.
In an interview to French newspaper Les Echos before departing for France, PM Modi said, "First of all, on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, I wish to convey my heartfelt gratitude to France, to its government and personally to President Macron for inviting India to 14th July National day celebrations as Guest of honour. I feel grateful to visit France on this occasion. This is a special year as it marks the 25th anniversary of our strategic partnership. It is an honour for India and a tribute to India-France friendship." (ANI)
PM Modi will visit France to attend the Bastille Day Parade as the Guest of Honour at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, ANI reported.
He will be the second Indian PM after Manmohan Singh in 2009 to be the Guest of Honour at Bastille Day Parade, the report said.
PM Modi's visit presents an opportunity for the two nations to move into the next phase in the India-France strategic partnership and set new ambitious goals for cultural, scientific, academic, economic cooperation and wide range of interests, Sunil Prasad, Secretary General of Brussels based Europe India Chamber of Commerce wrote in the Media India Group report.
So far, India has signed more than 35 strategic partnerships agreement with countries.
However, India signed the first-ever strategic partnership with France in January 1998.
In June, Air India and IndiGo announced purchase agreements to acquire 250 and 500 aircrafts respectively from Airbus during the Paris Air show, ANI reported.
The agreement marks a landmark milestone in ties between India and France.
France is a nation of the Indo-Pacific and PM Modi's visit will help strengthen the collaboration between two nations in the Indo-Pacific where France has overseas territories and an exclusive economic zone. The two nations share a vision of a free, open, and rules-based order, based on commitment to international law, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, freedom of navigation and a region free from coercion, tensions, and conflicts, according to Media India Group report.
France hosts the fourth-largest Indian community in Europe after the United Kingdom, Italy, and Germany, and is making efforts to attract students and professionals from India. A bilateral agreement on migration and mobility cooperation is already in place between two nations which aims to facilitate circular migration on the basis of mobility and return of skills to the home country. (ANI)
India is one of the biggest buyers of French arms, with Modi announcing a landmark deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets during a trip to Paris in 2015 that was worth around 4.0 billion euros ($4.24 billion) at the time.
He is set to unveil the purchase of another 26 marine versions of the state-of-the-art aircraft during this visit, as well as a deal for three Scorpene-class submarines, according to reports by the Tribune news website in France and the Hindustan Times newspaper in India.
New Delhi is seeking to rapidly modernise its armed forces, with fears about China's assertiveness heightened by simmering disputes along its Himalayan frontier. (AFP)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to France is likely to boost economic cooperation between India and France and shape broader strategic ties between European Union and India, Media India Group reported, adding that his visit to France holds special significance as the two nations are celebrating 25 years of their strategic partnership.
PM Modi will visit France to attend the Bastille Day Parade as the Guest of Honour at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.
He will be the second Indian PM after Manmohan Singh in 2009 to be the Guest of Honour at Bastille Day Parade, the report said.
PM Modi's visit presents an opportunity for the two nations to move into the next phase in the India-France strategic partnership and set new ambitious goals for cultural, scientific, academic, economic cooperation and wide range of interests, Sunil Prasad, Secretary General of Brussels based Europe India Chamber of Commerce wrote in the Media India Group report. So far, India has signed more than 35 strategic partnerships agreement with countries. However, India signed the first-ever strategic partnership with France in January 1998. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed confidence that his visit to France will provide a new impetus to the bilateral strategic partnership and said that he looks forward to holding wide-ranging discussions with President Emmanuel Macron on taking forward this time-tested relationship over the next 25 years.
In his departure statement, Modi said his visit to France was particularly special as he will join President Macron for the French National Day, or Bastille Day celebrations in Paris as the Guest of Honour.
An Indian tri-services contingent will be part of the Bastille Day Parade, while Indian Air Force aircraft will perform a fly-past on the occasion, he said.
Noting that this year marks the 25th anniversary of our strategic partnership. Modi said that rooted in deep trust and commitment, the two countries cooperate closely across various domains including defence, space, civil nuclear, blue economy, trade, investment, education, culture and people-to-people ties.
"We also work together on regional and global issues," he added.
"I look forward to meeting President Macron and holding wide-ranging discussions on taking forward this longstanding and time-tested partnership over the next 25 years," Modi said. (PTI)
