New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a six-day visit to France and Slovakia from June 13 to June 18, during which he will hold bilateral talks, attend the G7 Summit and participate in key technology and innovation events, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Monday.

The visit will begin in the French city of Nice, where Modi is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron on June 14. The two leaders will review progress in the India-France Special Global Strategic Partnership and discuss ways to further strengthen cooperation across sectors.

During their meeting in Nice, Modi and Macron will jointly inaugurate the “Bharat Innovates” initiative, an event bringing together startups, innovators and venture capital investors from India, France and other countries. Organised as part of the India-France Year of Innovation, the programme aims to deepen collaboration in technology and entrepreneurship.

In the second leg of his tour, the Prime Minister will undertake a State Visit to Slovakia from June 14 to 16 at the invitation of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. The visit will mark the first trip by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia since the country gained independence in 1993.

Modi is expected to hold talks with Fico and meet Slovak President Peter Pellegrini. Discussions are likely to focus on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, automobile manufacturing and railway infrastructure, among other areas.

The Prime Minister will then return to France to attend the G7 Summit in Evian on June 16 and 17. During the summit, he will participate in discussions on international cooperation, sustainable economic growth and the responsible deployment of artificial intelligence. He is also expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the gathering.

The final leg of the visit will take Modi to Paris on June 18, where he will attend the VivaTech Summit, one of Europe’s largest technology and startup conferences. He is also expected to interact with members of the Indian diaspora in France.

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According to the MEA, the visit is expected to strengthen India’s partnerships with France and Slovakia, enhance engagement with G7 nations and further advance cooperation in innovation, digital transformation and entrepreneurship. The government also said the visit would reinforce India’s strategic engagement with the European Union and underline its role as a key voice of the Global South.