Paris/New Delhi, 18 June (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm welcome from members of the Indian diaspora upon his arrival in Paris today, the final leg of his two-nation visit to France and Slovakia. During his stay in the French capital, the Prime Minister also met Arthur Mensch, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Mistral AI, as India seeks to deepen cooperation in emerging technologies and innovation.
Large numbers of members of the Indian community gathered to greet the Prime Minister, waving Indian flags and chanting slogans in his welcome. PM Modi interacted with members of the diaspora and expressed his appreciation for their role in strengthening the longstanding friendship between India and France.
In a message shared after his arrival, the Prime Minister said he was delighted by the warm reception and praised the Indian community for serving as a strong bridge between the two countries. He reiterated that the India-France partnership is vital for global progress and noted that the relationship continues to expand across strategic, economic, technological, and people-to-people sectors.
Later on Thursday, PM Modi met Arthur Mensch, CEO and Co-founder of Paris-based Mistral AI, one of Europe's leading artificial intelligence companies known for developing advanced large language models and AI infrastructure. The meeting focused on developments in artificial intelligence, innovation, and opportunities for future collaboration between India and the global AI ecosystem.
The interaction comes as India continues to promote responsible AI development and strengthen partnerships with leading technology firms. Discussions also reflected India's growing emphasis on expanding its digital economy and encouraging innovation through international cooperation.
During his visit, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to participate in VivaTech 2026 alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. The annual event is regarded as Europe's premier technology and startup summit and brings together global leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors. India has the largest national pavilion at this year's edition, highlighting the country's expanding startup ecosystem and its growing collaboration with European technology partners.
Before arriving in Paris, PM Modi attended the G7 Summit in Evian-Les-Bains as the leader of a guest nation. Describing the summit as productive, he said world leaders exchanged views on major global challenges and governance issues, while India presented its perspectives on key international priorities.
The Paris visit is expected to further reinforce the India-France strategic partnership through closer engagement in technology, innovation, investment, and cooperation between the two countries.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
