Indian PM Narendra Modi will embark on his three-day official visit to France and the UAE on 13 July.
During his visit to France, the Indian PM will discuss trade, defence, and technology with French President Emmanuel Macron. The two sides are expected to sign agreements on Rafale-M naval jets and three additional Scorpene submarines and discuss the possibility of a jet engine technology transfer.
Modi in France
Modi will be in Paris from 13-14 July and will hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron upon arrival.
The Indian PM will also meet his French counterpart, Elisabeth Borne, and the presidents of the French Senate and the National Assembly of France. He will then attend a private dinner hosted by Macron.
"Major ceremonial part of the visit will start from 14th July. PM @narendramodi will participate in the French National Day celebration- #BastilleDay. This is a very special gesture extended by France to PM Modi. A large tri-services contingent from India will also participate in… pic.twitter.com/cYOkx60nLC
— DD News (@DDNewslive) July 12, 2023
On the 14th, Modi will be the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade, where a contingent of the tri-services of Indian Armed Forces will participate.
The Bastille Day event commemorates the historic storming of the Bastille prison in 1789 during the French Revolution. India’s Punjab Regiment will lead Indian Army’s representation at the military parade.
This will be the Indian PM’s sixth visit to France, which will conclude with a banquet hosted by the French President.
Modi will also “interact with the Indian diaspora in France, CEOs of Indian and French companies, and prominent French personalities” during his visit.
#FPVideo: #India is planning to buy 26 #Rafale fighter aircraft and three Scorpene class conventional #submarines from #France in a mega #defencedeal that will be approximately worth Rs 90,000 crore. pic.twitter.com/2QBypIoKs1
— Firstpost (@firstpost) July 11, 2023
Expected Outcomes of France Visit
An official release by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated, “This year marks the 25th anniversary of the India – France Strategic Partnership, and [PM Modi’s] visit will provide an opportunity to chart the course of the partnership for the future across diverse sectors such as strategic, cultural, scientific, academic and economic cooperation.”
During a special briefing on the upcoming visit, Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra highlighted that the two leaders will discuss the cooperation between the two countries in space, security, economy, the civil-nuclear domain, technology, and the international solar alliance.
During Modi’s visit, India and France are expected to announce a technology transfer for the Shakti engine powering the Indian advanced light helicopters. France is also expected to undertake a 100 per cent transfer of technology for jet engines to India.
Further, India will likely sign deals to buy 26 Rafale-M naval jets and three additional Scorpene submarines from France. These deals are worth Rs 90,000 crore (~$10.9 billion) and have already been cleared by the Defence Procurement Board (DPB). They will now be discussed by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the highest decision-making body in the Defence Ministry.
The two sides are also expected to discuss the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant during the visit, a project that has been under discussion for over 14 years and is France’s largest civil nuclear project abroad.
#WATCH | Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, says "After concluding his visit to France, Prime Minister Modi will reach the United Arab Emirates on 15 July. He will meet the President of UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. We have all seen significant transformation taking place… pic.twitter.com/KwuDs3Qjq3
— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2023
Modi’s Visit to UAE
From Paris, Modi will travel to Abu Dhabi, where he will hold talks with the President of UAE, H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The MEA stated, “The India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has been steadily strengthening and Prime Minister’s visit will be an opportunity to identify ways to take this forward in various domains such as energy, education, healthcare, food security, fintech, defence and culture.”
The two countries will also discuss cooperation on global issues in the context of UAE’s Presidency of COP-28 climate conference and India’s G20 Presidency, with UAE as a special invitee.