Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a five-day visit to France and Slovakia from June 13 to 18, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The Prime Minister will participate in the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in France's Evian-les-Bains on June 16-17, where he will hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders. A pull-aside meeting with US President Donald Trump on the margins of the summit is being explored, as reported by the MEA. The Europe trip is centred around diplomacy, trade, innovation, defence cooperation, and India's engagement with the Global South. The visit comes at a time when India and France are placing greater emphasis on innovation-led growth and strategic cooperation, with both leaders expected to discuss regional and global developments including security challenges and ways to increase collaboration across international platforms.
On the first leg of his visit, Modi will be in Nice, France on June 13 and 14, where he will hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron to strengthen Paris and New Delhi's cooperation across defence, civil nuclear energy, innovation, critical technologies and mobility sectors. According to the MEA, this will be PM Modi's seventh official visit to France and India's 13th participation at the G7. During their talks, both leaders are expected to review progress in defence, space, clean energy, artificial intelligence, trade, and emerging technologies. The meeting comes at a time when India and France are placing greater emphasis on innovation-led growth and strategic cooperation. The two leaders will jointly inaugurate the 'Bharat Innovates' event on June 14, which is being organised as part of the India-France Year of Innovation and looks to linking Indian startups with global investors. During their stay in Nice, PM Modi and Macron will review the progress made since February and chart the next steps in their cooperation, with discussions focusing on pressing global issues of mutual interest.
On the second leg of his visit, the Prime Minister will be in Slovakia from June 14 to 16 at the invitation of his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico. This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia since its independence in 1993, as reported by the MEA. The visit will mark the first-ever trip by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia since the country's independence in 1993. During his stay in Slovakia, PM Modi will hold talks with Prime Minister Fico and explore new avenues of cooperation. The discussions are expected to focus on increasing cooperation in areas such as trade, investments, automobile manufacturing, transport infrastructure, innovation, and wider engagement with European markets. PM Modi added that he was looking forward to holding discussions with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico in Bratislava, noting that he would also have the opportunity to interact with Slovak business leaders. Building on the momentum of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, the visit will further energize India's Strategic Partnership with the European Union, of which Slovakia is an important and valued member.
During the G7 Summit, the Prime Minister will attend sessions that will focus on forging new partnerships, rebuilding international solidarity, and ensuring a safe, rapid and efficient rollout of artificial intelligence (AI), according to the MEA. At the summit, he will exchange views with G7 leaders, those from invited partner countries and international organisations on issues including international cooperation, sustainable economic growth and the deployment of artificial intelligence. The summit will provide India with a platform to present its views on major international issues, including economic challenges, technology governance, climate concerns, and the interests of developing nations. On the sidelines of the summit, Modi is also expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with world leaders, with a possible interaction with US President Donald Trump attracting significant attention. The G7 Summit will take up global issues, including the pressure on energy supplies and freedom of navigation because of the conflict in West Asia, reducing excessive macroeconomic imbalances and fostering shared growth, strengthening the resilience of critical and mineral value chains, and protecting minors online. Following the G7 Summit, the Prime Minister will be in Paris on June 18 to attend VivaTech 2026, where India will have the largest national pavilion at the technology and innovation event.
Beyond traditional diplomacy, technology and entrepreneurship will be major themes of PM Modi's France visit. He will join President Macron at Bharat Innovates 2026, a flagship event under the India-France Year of Innovation. The program will bring together startups, venture capital firms, researchers, and industry leaders from India, France, and other countries. It aims to create new opportunities for investment, research partnerships and collaboration in futuristic sectors such as artificial intelligence, deep technology, and digital solutions. The event will showcase the growing startup ecosystem and technological capabilities of both countries. This will be the eighth consecutive G7 summit to which India has been invited, with Modi stating that at the G7, India will not only speak for itself, but will also give voice to the aspirations of the Global South.
