Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Nice, France, on June 14 to begin his multi-country European tour. The visit is aimed at strengthening India’s partnerships in areas such as trade, technology, innovation and international cooperation.
On his arrival, Modi was welcomed by senior French officials, including Education Minister Edouard Geffray, Higher Education and Space Minister Philippe Baptiste, and French Ambassador to India Thierry Mathou.
During his stay in France, Modi is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron. The two leaders are expected to discuss ways to further strengthen ties between India and France, especially in defence, technology and economic cooperation.
They are also likely to launch Bharat Innovates 2026, a three-day innovation summit that will bring together startups, investors and technology experts from different countries. The summit aims to promote collaboration in emerging technologies and encourage innovation.
After France, Modi will visit Slovakia on June 14–15. This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia since the country became independent in 1993. During the visit, he is expected to meet Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico. Discussions are expected to focus on trade, business opportunities and cooperation with the European Union.
Modi will then return to France to attend the G7 Summit in Evian on June 16. India has been invited to the summit for the eighth year in a row, highlighting its growing importance in global affairs.
Reports suggest that Modi may also hold talks with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the summit, with trade expected to be one of the main topics of discussion.
Before leaving for the tour, Modi said that India would use the G7 platform to raise issues important to developing countries and represent the interests of the Global South. He described France as one of India’s key strategic partners and called the Slovakia visit an important step in strengthening bilateral relations.
The final part of the tour will take Modi to Paris on June 18, where he is expected to attend the VivaTech 2026 technology exhibition along with President Macron and meet members of the Indian community living in France.