New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Paris on Monday, attended a welcome dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace ahead of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit. Upon arrival, Mr Macron welcomed his “friend” PM Modi with a warm hug.
“Welcome to Paris, my friend @narendramodi,” Mr Macron wrote on X as he shared a video of the PM’s arrival at the Elysee Palace for the welcome dinner.
Welcome to Paris, my friend @NarendraModi! Nice to meet you dear @VP Vance! Welcome to all our partners for the AI Action Summit.
Let’s get to work! pic.twitter.com/yatkrVYv9x
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) February 10, 2025
At the venue, PM Modi met several other world leaders who will be attending the AI Summit, including US Vice President JD Vance – the first such meeting of the two leaders after Mr Vance took oath last month. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) also shared photos of the three leaders interacting with each other during the welcome dinner.
PM @narendramodi interacts with President @EmmanuelMacron and USA @VP @JDVance in Paris. pic.twitter.com/FFBLCRvRoM
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 10, 2025
As PM Modi landed in Paris, he received a grand welcome from the Indian community. Visuals show the PM waving and shaking hands with them. “A memorable welcome in Paris! The cold weather didn’t deter the Indian community from showing their affection this evening. Grateful to our diaspora and proud of them for their accomplishments,” he said.
A memorable welcome in Paris!
The cold weather didn’t deter the Indian community from showing their affection this evening. Grateful to our diaspora and proud of them for their accomplishments! pic.twitter.com/rrNuHRzYmU
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 10, 2025
This is PM Modi’s sixth visit to France.
In his departure statement, the PM said that the bilateral segment of his visit will provide an opportunity to review the progress on the 2047 Horizon Roadmap for India-France strategic partnership along with his “friend” President Macron.
After the AI Summit today, PM Modi and President Macron will visit Marseille, where the latter will host a dinner in honour of PM Modi. On Wednesday, the two leaders will visit the Mazargues War Cemetery in Marseille, where they will pay tribute to Indian soldiers who fought and died during World War I. The Mazargues War Cemetery, maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, holds the graves of many Indian soldiers who fought in France during the war.
The two leaders will also jointly inaugurate the Consulate General of India in Marseille.
PM Modi’s France tour will conclude with a significant visit to Cadarache, a site known for housing the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) – a major collaborative scientific project aimed at creating clean nuclear fusion energy, in which India is a key partner.
AI Summit
The AI Action Summit will take place today, bringing together global leaders and tech CEOs to discuss the future of AI. The summit aims to promote cooperation on the responsible and ethical use of AI technologies, which may prove pivotal in shaping the future of the global economy.
The previous editions of the AI Summit were held in the UK in 2023 and then in South Korea in 2024.
