Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Nice on Saturday night, where members of the Indian community gave him a warm reception. He is set to hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron later today.

Warm welcome in Nice

PM Modi landed in the southern French city late evening, and was received at his hotel by a large gathering of Indian-origin residents. Women touched his hands to their foreheads in a traditional gesture of respect, while the Prime Minister picked up a young child affectionately. A cultural programme was also organised at the hotel.

According to local authorities, around 1,500 community members had gathered outside the venue. Many had travelled from other parts of France to attend the reception.

Bilateral talks today

The Prime Minister will meet President Macron on the afternoon of June 14. The two leaders are expected to inaugurate the ‘India Innovates’ programme together. Official sources said the discussions will cover defence, technology, and strategic partnerships.

Sources familiar with the matter indicated that India and France are likely to sign around 12 agreements. These span high-tech sectors including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, health technology, space technology, and innovation.

Rafale deal in focus

A significant part of the conversation will revolve around the proposed deal for 114 Rafale fighter jets. India has sought flexibility to integrate its own indigenous weapons into the aircraft. To enable this, New Delhi intends to raise the issue of source code sharing during the talks.

The deal has not yet received clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security. Officials clarified that a final decision will only be taken after the Prime Minister’s visit concludes.

G7 summit and Trump meeting

PM Modi is on a six-day tour of France and Slovakia from June 13 to 18. This is his seventh visit to France as Prime Minister. From June 16 to 17, he will attend the G7 Summit in Evian. On June 18, he will join President Macron at the VivaTech conference in Paris.

During the G7 Summit, Modi is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump. The two leaders will meet after 16 months – they last held talks in Washington in February 2025. Modi had participated in the G7 Summit in Canada last year, but Trump left midway, preventing a meeting at that time.

First PM visit to Slovakia

On the evening of June 14, the Prime Minister will travel from France to Slovakia. He will remain there until June 15. During this period, he will meet Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and President Peter Pellegrini. This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister since Slovakia became an independent nation in 1993.

France, India strategic ties

According to a 2025 report by French newspaper Le Monde, France stood by India after the Pokhran nuclear tests when major world powers imposed sanctions. Ignoring American restrictions, Paris continued weapons sales, making France India’s second-largest defence supplier after Russia. India has received Mirage 2000 jets, Rafale fighters, and Scorpene submarines from France.

On international platforms, France has consistently supported India’s bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat and membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. President Macron had accepted India’s invitation as Republic Day chief guest in 2024 after US President Joe Biden declined.

Hormuz alliance possibility

During this visit, a decision may also be taken on India joining the Hormuz defence alliance. India had participated in Paris talks led by Britain in April. Officials said New Delhi favours a multilateral security arrangement under UN rules rather than any single-country initiative.

PM Modi meets Giorgia Meloni in Rome: High-level bilateral talks and strategic economic corridor in focus

Wide-ranging discussions underway as Prime Minister concludes his multi-nation diplomatic tour with key focus on trade, defense, and global supply chains.

ROME — Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Italian capital late Tuesday evening for the final leg of his five-nation diplomatic tour. Shortly after landing, PM Modi meets Giorgia Meloni in Rome for high-level engagements, marking his first dedicated bilateral visit to Italy. The initial meeting, which concluded over an informal dinner, saw the two leaders exchanging views on regional and global developments ahead of structured delegation-level talks.

Red carpet welcome in Rome

Upon his arrival at Rome airport, Prime Minister Modi was received by Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, alongside India’s Ambassador to Italy, Vani Sarraju Rao. The Prime Minister received a ceremonial red-carpet reception from the Italian guard of honour before proceeding to his hotel, where a large gathering of the Indian diaspora and local cultural performers welcomed him with classical musical showcases.

Focus on strategic corridor

According to a post shared by the Prime Minister on social media platform X shortly after touchdown, the primary objective of the bilateral visit centers around reviewing the ambitious India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Ground-level officials familiar with the matter stated that the alignment of supply chains and maritime logistical frameworks under IMEC remains a priority for both Rome and New Delhi, especially amidst continuing regional uncertainties in West Asia.

Reviewing the 5-year action plan

A key component of the formal deliberations on Wednesday will be a comprehensive review of the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029. The plan spans critical sectors, including advanced technology, defense production, clean energy partnerships, and space research. Data from the Ministry of External Affairs indicates that bilateral trade between the two nations surpassed USD 16.7 billion in recent cycles, with a mutual push to escalate industrial investments in automotive, machinery, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Diplomatic engagements and global outreach

Apart from his detailed session where PM Modi meets Giorgia Meloni in Rome, the Prime Minister is scheduled to call on Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale Palace. Official sources confirmed that the leaders will address complex geopolitical issues, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, maritime safety in the Indo-Pacific region, and global energy security. Additionally, the Prime Minister is slated to visit the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to reiterate India’s stance on global food security and multilateralism.

Final leg of multi-nation tour

Italy marks the conclusion of an intense five-nation tour that began on May 15. Prior to arriving in Rome, Prime Minister Modi visited the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway, where he co-chaired the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo. With formal business interactions with leading Italian industrialists scheduled for later in the day, New Delhi aims to draw substantial foreign direct investment into India’s expanding green technology and infrastructure sectors before the Prime Minister departs for India on Wednesday night.

The initial moments of the Prime Minister's arrival and the informal diplomatic greetings can be observed in this news coverage video, which outlines the key focus areas of the bilateral agenda between India and Italy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the United Arab Emirates on an official visit where he held bilateral discussions with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. During the meeting, India and the UAE signed several important agreements, including a major pact related to LPG supply and energy cooperation. The visit has emerged as a significant India News Update amid growing global concerns over energy security and geopolitical tensions in West Asia.

Prime Minister Modi received a ceremonial guard of honour upon his arrival in Abu Dhabi. According to reports, fighter jets of the UAE Air Force escorted the Prime Minister’s aircraft while entering the country’s airspace, reflecting the close strategic ties between the two nations. During the bilateral talks, both leaders discussed issues related to energy security, trade, investment, defence cooperation and regional stability in West Asia.

Officials said India and the UAE signed multiple Memorandums of Understanding covering LPG supply, strategic petroleum reserves, defence collaboration and development of a ship repair cluster at Vadinar. The agreements are being viewed as part of broader efforts by both countries to strengthen long-term energy and economic cooperation.

Sources indicated that the LPG supply agreement is expected to support India’s growing energy requirements while also helping diversify long-term supply arrangements. Apart from energy cooperation, the UAE also announced investments worth five billion US dollars in India. According to officials, the proposed investments will include sectors such as infrastructure, financial services and capital markets.

The UAE investment commitments reportedly include funding in Indian infrastructure projects, RBL Bank and Samman Capital. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the two leaders reviewed the progress of the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and discussed ways to expand cooperation in several sectors.

Officials added that the discussions also focused on recent developments in West Asia and their possible impact on regional stability and global energy markets. India and the UAE have significantly strengthened bilateral relations over the past decade through growing trade, defence ties and strategic investments. The UAE remains one of India’s key partners in the Gulf region and is among the country’s largest trading partners. Energy imports from the Gulf continue to play a critical role in India’s economic and industrial growth.

Experts believe the latest agreements could further deepen economic integration between the two countries at a time when global energy markets remain volatile. The strategic petroleum reserve agreement is also being seen as an important step for strengthening India’s energy preparedness during international supply disruptions.

Officials present during the meeting exchanged documents related to the agreements in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and President Al Nahyan. Photographs released from the event showed senior officials from both countries participating in formal signing ceremonies and bilateral delegation-level discussions.

Diplomatic observers said the visit underlines the importance of India-UAE ties in areas ranging from trade and logistics to technology and defence partnerships. The defence cooperation component of the agreements is expected to enhance coordination in maritime security and regional strategic affairs.

India has steadily expanded cooperation with Gulf countries over the years through investment partnerships, energy agreements and diaspora engagement. The UAE is also home to a large Indian community, making people-to-people relations an important pillar of bilateral engagement.

Analysts noted that the latest announcements come at a time when countries across the world are seeking stronger energy partnerships due to instability in international crude oil markets. The visit and agreements signed during the meeting are likely to strengthen India’s position in securing long-term energy resources and attracting foreign investment.

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