PM Modi visits France and Slovakia from June 13-19 to deepen ties
Synopsis
PM Modi's six-day European tour — France, Slovakia, and the G7 — is the most diplomatically packed India has attempted in a single visit this year. The Slovakia leg alone is historic: no Indian Prime Minister has set foot there since its 1993 independence. Add a G7 appearance and VivaTech, and this trip signals India's intent to anchor itself firmly in the European strategic and innovation order.
Key Takeaways
PM Modi will visit France and Slovakia from 13 to 19 June , confirmed by the MEA on 9 June .
Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron will jointly inaugurate 'Bharat Innovates' in Nice on 14 June during the India-France Year of Innovation .
The Slovakia State Visit (14-16 June) is the first-ever by an Indian Prime Minister since Slovakia's independence in 1993 .
Modi will participate in the G7 Summit in Evian, France on 16-17 June , engaging with G7 leaders and partner nations.
The final leg on 18 June includes the VivaTech Summit in Paris and an address to the Indian community .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake an official visit to France and Slovakia from 13 to 19 June, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Tuesday, 9 June. The multi-leg European tour will also include India's participation in the G7 Summit and attendance at the VivaTech Summit in Paris.
India-France Bilateral Meetings
At the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Modi will visit Nice from 13 to 14 June. The two leaders will hold bilateral talks on 14 June, covering the full spectrum of the India-France strategic partnership. They will also jointly inaugurate 'Bharat Innovates' — a flagship event bringing together leading innovation startups and venture capital funds from India, France, and partner nations.
The event is being held as part of the India-France Year of Innovation, which the MEA described as reinforcing the 'vibrant innovation partnership' between the two countries. This is among the most substantive bilateral agendas Modi has carried into a European visit in recent years.
Historic First Visit to Slovakia
From 14 to 16 June, Modi will make a State Visit to Slovakia at the invitation of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. This marks the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia since the country gained independence in 1993 — a milestone that underscores India's expanding diplomatic footprint in Central Europe.
Modi will hold talks with Fico and also call on Slovak President Peter Pellegrini. According to the MEA, the visit is expected to open new avenues of cooperation in trade, investment, automobile manufacturing, and railway manufacturing.
G7 Summit in Evian
On 16 and 17 June, Prime Minister Modi will participate in the G7 Summit in Evian, France. He will engage with leaders of the G7 nations as well as invited partner countries and international organisations. India's presence at the G7 as a partner nation reflects its growing stature as, in the MEA's words, 'a leading voice of the Global South and a key partner in addressing global challenges.'
This comes amid heightened global attention on trade, climate finance, and geopolitical stability — areas where India has increasingly positioned itself as a swing voice between the developed world and the Global South.
Paris: VivaTech and Community Engagement
The final leg of the visit, on 18 June, takes Modi to Paris, where he will attend the VivaTech Summit — Europe's largest technology and startup event. He will also hold further bilateral engagements and is expected to address members of the Indian community in Paris.
The MEA stated that the visit 'will further deepen India's partnership with France, Slovakia, and the G7,' signalling that the outcomes are expected to go beyond ceremonial diplomacy into concrete sectoral agreements.
Point of View
The first Indian PM to visit signals that New Delhi is finally mapping Central Europe seriously — a region that has been a blind spot in India's European diplomacy. The G7 invitation, meanwhile, is now routine enough that its significance lies not in attendance but in what India extracts: whether Modi uses Evian to push a concrete Global South agenda or settles for photo-op multilateralism. The VivaTech leg is the most commercially tangible — pairing it with 'Bharat Innovates' suggests India is pitching itself as a startup destination, not just a market. The real test of this visit will be whether the Slovakia and France bilateral meetings yield signed agreements or remain aspirational communiqués.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is PM Modi visiting France and Slovakia?
PM Modi will visit France and Slovakia from 13 to 19 June, as confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs on 9 June. The trip covers Nice, Slovakia, Evian, and Paris across six days.
Why is the Slovakia visit historically significant?
This is the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia since the country gained independence in 1993. The visit is expected to open cooperation in trade, investment, automobile manufacturing, and railway manufacturing.
What is the 'Bharat Innovates' event?
'Bharat Innovates' is a flagship innovation event that PM Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron will jointly inaugurate in Nice on 14 June. It brings together top startups and venture capital funds from India, France, and partner countries, and is part of the India-France Year of Innovation.
What is India's role at the G7 Summit in Evian?
India is participating as an invited partner nation at the G7 Summit in Evian on 16-17 June. PM Modi will engage with G7 leaders and representatives of international organisations, with the MEA describing India as 'a leading voice of the Global South.'
What will PM Modi do at VivaTech in Paris?
PM Modi will attend the VivaTech Summit on 18 June in Paris — Europe's largest technology and startup event. He will also hold bilateral engagements and is expected to address the Indian community in Paris.
