PM Modi ends his trip to France and departs for the United Arab Emirates

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi left France after completing his first leg of his trip there and began his second leg in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the head of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, and Modi are expected to meet there.

During his two-day trip to France, Modi met with a number of important figures, including Yal Braun-Pivet, the speaker of the National Assembly, and Senate President Gerard Larcher. He also served as the Guest of Honor at the Bastille Day Parade.

In order to explore commercial potential between the two nations, Modi and Macron also met with prominent French business figures.

It was great to see the Indian contingent: Mr. Modi
Before departing for the UAE, Prime Minister Modi tweeted that he was thrilled to see the Indian contingent take part in the Bastille Day Parade.

As the Guest of Honor, Modi accompanied Macron at the Bastille Day Parade. The parade included a tri-services Indian contingent, and Indian Rafale fighter jets also flew above.

“Watching the Indian contingent get a pride of place in the parade was wonderful,” Modi said in a tweet. I appreciate the tremendous warmth and kindness shown to me by President Emmanuel Macron and the French people. May the bond between France and India become stronger.

PM Modi and French President Macron had extensive conversations.
In-depth discussions between PM Modi and French President Macron covered a broad range of topics, including national security and geopolitical issues as well as cutting-edge topics like artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and semiconductors.

He said on Twitter, “The conversations with my buddy, President Emmanuel Macron, were really fruitful. We looked at India-France ties from every angle. I am very excited about expanding our collaboration in cutting-edge fields like green hydrogen, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and more.

“India and France will continue collaborating to strengthen the ecosystems for innovation and start-up businesses. The topics of climate change and sustainable development were also heavily discussed. Also important was the focus on technology and defense.

Modi added that the two nations are working on a path to further deepen bilateral ties over the next 25 years in comments on Friday, as India and France celebrated 25 years of strategic relationship.

Following his meeting with Macron at the Elysee Palace, Modi also discussed the French contribution to India’s attempts to increase domestic manufacturing, known as the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” program.

With regard to submarines or naval aircraft, he stated, “France is an important partner in ‘Make in India’ and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Together, we want to meet not only our own needs but also those of other friendly countries.”

Modi also discussed the effects and interruptions of the Covid-19 epidemic and the Ukraine War on the world.

This is a serious situation, he remarked. It is crucial that nations work together to develop answers to these issues. We think that only through communication and diplomacy can all disagreements be resolved. India is prepared to support long-term peace.

Regarding terrorism, Modi said, “India and France have cooperated in the battle against terrorism. We think that in order to combat cross-border terrorism, serious action must be done.

Modi said that France and India have decided to introduce India’s Unified Payment Interface (UPI) there.

Additionally, Modi said that India will establish a new consulate in the southern French city of Marseilles.

Modi was presented with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor, France’s highest honor, earlier on Thursday. He is the only Indian Prime Minister to get this honor.

Modi is invited as a guest of honor at the Bastille Day Parade.
As the Guest of Honor on Friday morning, Modi joined Macron at the Bastille Day Parade.

The parade also included a tri-services contingent from India, and fighter jets from Rafael performed a fly-by.

“A giant in world history, with a crucial role to play in the future, a strategic partner, and a friend,” Macron tweeted on the occasion.We are honored to have India as our special guest for the parade on July 14th.On July 14, Indian Rafale aircraft and soldiers are accompanying our forces as they march and fly…We pay tribute to the men and women who served alongside the French in the First World War. We won’t soon forget.

The French Revolution began in 1989 with the storming of the Bastille, which is commemorated by the Bastille Day, a national holiday in France.

For his part, Modi tweeted, “Joined the procession in Paris on this historic anniversary of Bastille Day. My sincere thanks for the honor and kind welcome,” With images of the spectacular march-past, Prime Minister Modi tweeted: “Inspired by its centuries-old ethos, India is committed to doing everything within its power to make our planet peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable.” India’s 1.4 billion people will always be appreciative to France for being a reliable and powerful ally. May the connection become even stronger!”

Modi met with Senate President Larcher and French Prime Minister Borne earlier on Thursday.

“In Paris, PM Narendra Modi and PM Elisabeth Borne had productive discussions. The leaders addressed ways to further strengthen connections between the two nations as well as reviewing different aspects of the India-France collaboration, according to a tweet from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

According to the PMO, Modi and Larcher had a “productive meeting” where they discussed a number of topics of interest to both of them and decided to cooperate to advance India-France relations in a number of sectors.

PM Modi: A trip to the UAE will start a new chapter in our relationship.
In a statement issued before to his departure for the UAE, PM Modi expressed his confidence that the “visit to the UAE will usher in a new chapter in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”.

During his visit to the UAE, Modi will have a meeting with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi.

“Our two nations work together in a variety of fields, including commerce, investments, energy, food security, research and technology, education, fintech, defense, and strong interpersonal relationships. I and President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed came to an agreement on a roadmap for our collaboration last year, and I am looking forward to talking with him about how to further strengthen our connections, Modi added in the statement.

The relationship between India and the UAE has been improving recently. Modi received the Order of Zayed in 2019, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the UAE.