New Delhi, 11 June (H.S.):

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a visit to France and Slovakia from June 14 to 18, during which he will participate in the G7 Summit and hold a series of bilateral engagements with world leaders, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

Speaking at a special media briefing, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Sibi George, said the G7 Summit will be held in Evian, France, from June 15 to 17. The outreach sessions of the summit are scheduled for June 16 and 17, during which Prime Minister Modi will participate alongside leaders of other invited countries. India has been invited as a partner country for the summit.

George said, “India was invited to participate in several G7 meetings and events this year. Earlier, the External Affairs Minister attended the meeting of G7 Foreign Ministers held in Paris. During the summit, the Prime Minister is also expected to hold bilateral meetings and interactions with leaders of G7 member countries, partner nations and international organisations.”

According to the MEA, the Prime Minister’s visit will cover three French cities—Nice, Evian and Paris—as well as Slovakia. During the tour, he will attend the 52nd G7 Summit in France and hold bilateral discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

George noted that this will be India’s 13th participation in a G7 Summit and Prime Minister Modi’s seventh consecutive appearance at the gathering. The summit is expected to provide an opportunity for India to engage with global leaders on issues of national interest as well as matters concerning the Global South.

The MEA further stated that Prime Minister Modi will undertake a state visit to Slovakia from June 14 to 16. This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia since the country gained independence in 1993.

During the Slovakia visit, discussions are expected to focus on enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, transport, renewable energy, emerging technologies and defence manufacturing. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to interact with members of Slovakia’s business community.

Additional Secretary Piyush Srivastava said the Prime Minister will begin his tour in the French city of Nice. There, he will hold comprehensive talks with President Emmanuel Macron covering bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues of mutual interest.

The two leaders will also jointly inaugurate the “India Innovates” initiative, a platform designed to showcase India’s innovation capabilities and technological achievements on the global stage.

The upcoming visit is expected to strengthen India’s engagement with major global economies, deepen strategic partnerships and expand cooperation across a range of sectors, while providing an important platform for discussions on key international challenges.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar