Nice: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in France on Sunday for a visit to French President Emmanuel Macron. This is his first of the five-nation tour
to France and Slovakia. Upon arrive in Nice airport, the prime minister was received by France’s Education Minister Edouard Geffray; Minister of Higher Education, Research and Space Philippe Baptiste; French Ambassador to India Thierry Mathou; and Nice Mayor Eric Ciotti, among other dignitaries.
PM Modi shares message on X
“Landed in Nice. In addition to Nice, this French visit includes programmes in Evian and Paris. There will be bilateral and multilateral engagements, which will be aimed at improving India’s friendships with key developmental partners,” the PM wrote on X upon arrival. “I look forward to meeting President Macron tomorrow and to being at ‘Bharat Innovates’,” he added.
Soon after he landed, PM Modi was welcomed with traditional cultural performances, including a dance by a group of dancers. He was also welcomed by members of the Indian diaspora, who gathered in large numbers. They were seen waving the tricolour and raising “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” chants. He was also greeted enthusiastically by the Indian community outside his hotel.
𝐀 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐌 𝐒𝐡𝐫𝐢 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐢 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞. 🇮🇳🇫🇷
Upon his arrival, PM Modi was greeted with great warmth, while a vibrant traditional dance performance added a special cultural touch to… pic.twitter.com/G4ooQZVuuO
— BJP (@BJP4India) June 13, 2026
“A memorable welcome from the Indian community in Nice. Though they may be several kilometres away from home, the bond of our diaspora with India remains as strong as ever,” Modi said in another post, PM Modi wrote in another post.
Visit will provide an opportunity to strengthen India-France ties: MEA
Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a post, said that the visit will provide an opportunity to strengthen India-France bilateral ties further. “Innovation sector will be a key focus area as India and France together celebrate the Year 2026 as the ‘Year of Innovation’. The ‘Bharat Innovates’ event @BharatInnov2026 will showcase India’s vibrant innovation ecosystem and offer a platform for startups and innovators to present their cutting-edge solutions and products,” he wrote.
The PM will visit Slovakia fon June 14-15. During the visit where he will hold talks with President Peter Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico in Bratislava. He will interact with business leaders during the visit. He will return to France on June 16-17 for G-7 summit.
