Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Paris and received a warm welcome from members of the Indian diaspora, as he underscored the importance of the India-France partnership for global progress.

The Prime Minister arrived in Paris on Wednesday (June 17, 2026) local time from the French commune of Evian-Les-Bains, where he attended the G7 Summit, to which India was invited as a guest country.

Paris marks the final leg of Mr. Modi’s two-nation tour to France and Slovakia.

“I arrived in Paris just a short while ago, where I was warmly welcomed by the Indian diaspora. I am proud of their efforts to bring India and France closer together,” Mr. Modi said in a social media post.

“The India-France partnership is essential to the progress of our planet,” he said.

In Paris, Mr. Modi is scheduled to attend VivaTech 2026 alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and interact with the Indian community.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, VivaTech is Europe’s premier technology and innovation event, and India will have the largest national pavilion at this year’s edition, reflecting the growing potential for collaboration between the Indian and European innovation ecosystems.

The Indian diaspora in mainland France is estimated at around 119,000, while more than 350,000 people of Indian origin live in French overseas territories.

Before leaving for Paris, Mr. Modi had described his engagements at the G7 Summit as “productive”, saying he had the opportunity to present India’s views and efforts on key areas of governance and policy-making.

He had also underlined the need for closer engagement with the Global South to ensure global prosperity.

At an outreach session of the G7 on Wednesday (June 17), Mr. Modi proposed a framework to boost connectivity and trade by combining the strengths of the G7 nations, India and the Global South. He also flagged concerns over the long-term impact of the West Asia crisis on developing countries.

On Tuesday (June 16), the Prime Minister urged world leaders to move from a donor-recipient approach to partnerships based on solidarity and equality, while emphasising the importance of trust in international cooperation.

On the sidelines of the summit, Mr. Modi held bilateral meetings with several world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

India and France share a strategic partnership spanning defence, security, space, civil nuclear energy, climate action and emerging technologies, with both countries increasingly working together on issues relating to the Indo-Pacific, innovation and global governance.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Paris and received a warm welcome from members of the Indian diaspora, as he underscored the importance of the India-France partnership for global progress.

The Prime Minister arrived in Paris on Wednesday (June 17, 2026) local time from the French commune of Evian-Les-Bains, where he attended the G7 Summit, to which India was invited as a guest country.

Paris marks the final leg of Mr. Modi’s two-nation tour to France and Slovakia.

“I arrived in Paris just a short while ago, where I was warmly welcomed by the Indian diaspora. I am proud of their efforts to bring India and France closer together,” Mr. Modi said in a social media post.

“The India-France partnership is essential to the progress of our planet,” he said.

In Paris, Mr. Modi is scheduled to attend VivaTech 2026 alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and interact with the Indian community.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, VivaTech is Europe’s premier technology and innovation event, and India will have the largest national pavilion at this year’s edition, reflecting the growing potential for collaboration between the Indian and European innovation ecosystems.

The Indian diaspora in mainland France is estimated at around 119,000, while more than 350,000 people of Indian origin live in French overseas territories.

Before leaving for Paris, Mr. Modi had described his engagements at the G7 Summit as “productive”, saying he had the opportunity to present India’s views and efforts on key areas of governance and policy-making.

He had also underlined the need for closer engagement with the Global South to ensure global prosperity.

At an outreach session of the G7 on Wednesday (June 17), Mr. Modi proposed a framework to boost connectivity and trade by combining the strengths of the G7 nations, India and the Global South. He also flagged concerns over the long-term impact of the West Asia crisis on developing countries.

On Tuesday (June 16), the Prime Minister urged world leaders to move from a donor-recipient approach to partnerships based on solidarity and equality, while emphasising the importance of trust in international cooperation.

On the sidelines of the summit, Mr. Modi held bilateral meetings with several world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

India and France share a strategic partnership spanning defence, security, space, civil nuclear energy, climate action and emerging technologies, with both countries increasingly working together on issues relating to the Indo-Pacific, innovation and global governance.

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron at the G7 Summit, France has proposed a broader maritime security partnership with India, including participation in a multinational initiative aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

French diplomatic sources said in New Delhi on Thursday (June 11, 2026) discussions between the two leaders are expected to cover a wide range of issues, including defence cooperation, maritime security, military hardware and developments in West Asia.

According to the sources, France is working with a group of partner nations to ensure maritime security and freedom of navigation in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz amid rising regional tensions. India is expected to be among the countries invited to join the initiative.

The sources also revealed that leaders from India, the United States, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are expected to participate in a West Asia-focused meeting on the margins of the G7 Summit.

Briefing the media about Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming travel plans for France and Slovakia, Secretary (West) Sibi George of the Ministry of External Affairs said that when Mr. Modi and Mr. Macron meet, “All issues of interest — global issues — including the developments in West Asia will be discussed.”

Hinting at the French proposal on working with a group of partner countries for the Strait of Hormuz, he said “new announcements being made by various sides” will be discussed as well.

The Modi-Macron meeting is expected to review progress in strategic cooperation across defence, security, technology and global governance while also exchanging views on key regional and international developments.

Addressing concerns over the evolving security situation in the region, French diplomatic sources stressed the importance of maintaining open sea lanes and uninterrupted maritime trade. “We emphasise free navigation. We are not part of the war, but it has an impact on all of us,” the sources said, underlining the global economic and security implications of instability in the Gulf region.

On India’s invitation to the G7 Summit, the sources described New Delhi as a key strategic partner for France.

“India is a top priority for us; we have a special relationship. India has joined all the G7 tracks,” the sources said. The French side also highlighted the growing depth of bilateral ties, describing the relationship as one marked by a high degree of mutual trust and confidence.

“We have reached a level of trust and confidence where it is easy for both of us to talk about anything,” the sources said, adding that France is closely following India’s expanding global role, including its upcoming BRICS chairmanship and the legacy of its successful G20 Presidency.

Mr. George further said that defence-related announcements will be made during PM Modi’s visit to Slovakia during June 14-16. “We have been engaging with Slovakia in the defence sector over the last several years. There has been a close engagement. This visit would help us take this relation to a new high level of engagement,” Mr. George said, adding that there will be “specific areas that will be discussed and covered” during Mr. Modi’s visit to Slovakia.