New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday departed on a six-day diplomatic tour of France and Slovakia, a visit aimed at deepening India’s strategic partnerships in Europe, strengthening economic ties, and enhancing cooperation in innovation, technology, defence and trade. The Prime Minister will also participate in the G7 Summit in the French city of Evian.
Before leaving, Modi described France as a key pillar in India’s strategic vision and said the visit would focus on expanding economic collaboration, cultural exchanges and innovation-driven partnerships between the two countries.
Strengthening global partnerships. ЁЯЗоЁЯЗ│ЁЯМН
PM Modi begins his official visit to France and Slovakia, where he will attend the G7 Summit in Evian, hold bilateral talks, participate in multilateral engagements.
Watch. тмЗя╕П pic.twitter.com/8dJNtjGaj2
тАФ BJP (@BJP4India) June 13, 2026
India-France Innovation Partnership in Focus
The Prime Minister is scheduled to inaugurate Bharat Innovates alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. The flagship event, being held as part of the India-France Year of Innovation, is expected to bring together India’s leading start-ups, investors, researchers and industry leaders.
According to officials, the initiative aims to connect promising Indian start-ups with global capital and accelerate innovations emerging from India’s higher education and research ecosystem.
The visit is also expected to witness discussions on emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, clean energy, defence cooperation and strategic issues of mutual interest.
PM @narendramodi embarks on a two-nation visit to France and Slovakia. pic.twitter.com/b9RklXSopM
тАФ PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 13, 2026
Historic Slovakia Visit to Boost Bilateral Ties
Following his engagements in France, Modi will travel to Slovakia for a two-day visit, marking a significant chapter in India-Slovakia relations.
During his stay in Bratislava, the Prime Minister will hold talks with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico. The discussions are expected to focus on trade, investment, defence cooperation, technology partnerships and India’s broader engagement with the European Union.
Modi said the visit reflects the growing momentum in bilateral relations and would further strengthen India’s strategic partnership with the European Union, of which Slovakia is an important member.
Defence, Trade and Investment Opportunities
Indian Ambassador to Slovakia Apoorva Srivastava said the Prime Minister’s visit is expected to open new avenues of cooperation, particularly in defence manufacturing and research.
She noted that bilateral trade between India and Slovakia has already crossed $1.8 billion, with both countries exploring opportunities for joint production, technology transfer and collaborative research projects in the defence sector.
The ambassador also expressed optimism that progress on the proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement would further expand economic cooperation and investment flows.
India to Attend Eighth Consecutive G7 Summit
After concluding his visit to Slovakia, Modi will return to France to participate in the G7 Summit in Evian on June 16 and 17. This will mark the eighth consecutive G7 summit to which India has been invited, underscoring New Delhi’s growing role in global governance and international policymaking.
The Prime Minister said India’s continued presence at the summit reflects the confidence that major global powers place in the country’s expanding economic and geopolitical influence.
Tour to Conclude in Paris
The final leg of the visit will take Modi to Paris, where he will attend VivaTech 2026, one of Europe’s premier technology and innovation events, alongside President Macron.
Modi is also expected to interact with members of the Indian diaspora in France during the visit.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the multi-nation tour would further strengthen India’s engagement with Europe, expand strategic partnerships, and create new opportunities for cooperation across trade, innovation, defence and people-to-people ties.
