Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm welcome from the Indian community upon his arrival in Nice, France, on Saturday, marking the beginning of his official visit to the country.
Members of the Indian diaspora greeted the Prime Minister with chants of “Modi Modi” and “Bharat Mata ki Jai”. Cultural performances showcasing classical Indian dance forms, including Kathak, Odissi and Bharatanatyam, were also organised to welcome him.
Expressing his appreciation, PM Modi said on social media platform X, “A memorable welcome from the Indian community in Nice. Though they may be several kilometres away from home, the bond of our diaspora with India remains as strong as ever.”
At the airport, the Prime Minister was received by several French and Indian dignitaries. Those present included French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space Philippe Baptiste, Secretary General of the Alpes-Maritimes Prefecture Patrick Amoussou-Adeble, French Ambassador to India Thierry Mathou, Mayor of Nice Eric Ciotti, and India’s Ambassador to France Sanjeev Singla.
Nice is the first stop of Prime Minister Modi’s two-nation visit. During his stay in France, he is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and participate in a series of engagements aimed at strengthening India-France ties.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said that his visit would include programmes in Nice, Evian and Paris and would feature bilateral and multilateral meetings focused on deepening India’s partnership with key development partners.
PM Modi and President Macron will jointly inaugurate Bharat Innovates 2026 in Nice on Sunday. The event is being held as part of the India-France Year of Innovation and is aimed at strengthening cooperation in innovation, science and technology.
At the invitation of President Macron, Prime Minister Modi will also participate in the G7 Summit in Evian on June 16 and 17.
-IANS
