Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on his three-day trip to France and the UAE at the official invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron for the former.
He will also make a short visit on 15 July to the UAE following his France trip.
In Paris, the Indian Prime Minister will attend the Bastille Day celebrations as a guest of honour along with other world leaders.
He is expected to land in Paris at approximately 4 pm IST, after which he will interact with the President of the French Senate and PM Elisabeth Borne. Following this, he is scheduled to attend a private dinner hosted by Macron.
The Prime Minister took to Twitter to share an official statement about his trip where he mentioned that he would also be interacting with the Indian community in France.
Prior to the trip, PM Modi, in a rare interview with the French newspaper Les Echos said, "First of all, on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, I wish to convey my heartfelt gratitude to France, to its government and personally to President Macron for inviting India to 14th July National day celebrations as Guest of honour. I feel grateful to visit France on this occasion. This is a special year as it marks the 25th anniversary of our strategic partnership. It is an honour for India and a tribute to India-France friendship."
In the same interview, he also spoke about India's role as a "bridge between the Global South and the western world," and "the rights of the Global South have been long denied."
"Our demographic dividend, our deep roots in democracy, and our civilizational spirit will guide the way as we move towards the future. We recognize our responsibility in contributing to addressing global challenges, building a more cohesive world, giving voice to the aspirations of the weak and advancing global peace and prosperity. India brings its own unique and distinct perspective and voice to the global discourse - and it always stands in favour of peace, a fairer economic order, the concerns of the weaker nations and global cohesion in addressing our common challenges."PM Modi in an interview with French newspaper Les Echos
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