PM Modi departs for France to hold crucial talks with Macron, will also visit UAE on July 15

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday left for an official visit to France and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as India continues its rise as a dominant force in the region.

PM Modi will be in France on July 13-14 at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron. This visit is particularly special as he will join President Macron for the French National Day, or Bastille Day celebrations in Paris as the ‘Guest of Honour’. An Indian tri-services contingent will also be part of the Bastille Day Parade, while the Rafale jets of Indian Air Force aircraft perform a fly-past on the occasion.

“This year marks the 25th anniversary of our strategic partnership. Rooted in deep trust and commitment, our two countries cooperate closely across various domains including defence, space, civil nuclear, blue economy, trade, investment, education, culture and people to people ties. We also work together on regional and global issues,” PM Modi said ahead of his departure.

“I look forward to meeting President Macron and holding wide-ranging discussions on taking forward this longstanding and time-tested partnership over the next 25 years. I have had the opportunity to meet President Macron several times since my last Official Visit to France in 2022, most recently in Hiroshima, Japan in May 2023 during the G-7 Summit,” he added.

Prime Minister Modi will also interact with French PM, Senate President, President of the French National Assembly besides the vibrant Indian community in the country and leading CEOs from both countries as well as prominent French personalities.

From Paris, PM Modi will travel to Abu Dhabi for an Official Visit to the UAE on July 15 where he will hold discussions with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi.

“Our two countries are engaged across a wide range of sectors such as trade, investments, energy, food security, science and technology, education, fintech, defence, security, and robust people-to-people ties. Last year, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and I agreed on a Roadmap on the future of our partnership, and I look forward to discussing with him how to further deepen our ties,” said PM Modi.

UAE will be hosting the 28th Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC (COP-28) later this year and thus PM will also exchange views on strengthening global cooperation towards accelerating climate action to facilitate the energy transition and implementation of the Paris Agreement.

“I am confident that my visit to UAE will usher in a new chapter in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” he stated.

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