PM Modi to depart for France today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to depart for France today
Digital desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to depart for Paris on Monday for a three-day official visit, where he will co-chair the third edition of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit with French President Emmanuel Macron. Prime Minister Modi's visit will be a watershed moment in India-France ties, addressing fundamental issues such as artificial intelligence and nuclear energy.
Following his journey to France, PM Modi will fly to the United States on February 12 to meet President Donald Trump for the first time during his second term in office.
Prime Minister Modi will arrive in Paris on February 10 (Monday) and will attend a luncheon organized by President Macron to honor visiting heads of government and state.
The event is scheduled to draw important leaders from a variety of industries, including top CEOs in the IT industry and other noteworthy guests.
The AI Action Summit will take place on February 11, building on the momentum of earlier editions hosted in the United Kingdom (2023) and South Korea (2024), and will mark a significant step forward in global talks about the future of AI. The summit's goal is to foster collaboration on the responsible and ethical use of AI technology, which could have a significant impact on the global economy's future.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi will join world leaders to discuss and shape the future of AI, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated during a media briefing about the significance of this.
In addition to the summit, PM Modi's visit includes several high-level bilateral meetings. He will meet with President Macron to address the India-France CEOs Forum, where the two leaders will discuss topics of common interest such as trade, technology, and strategic collaborations. The discussions will be held in both restricted and delegation-level formats.
The itinerary also includes a stop in Marseille, where President Macron will host a dinner to honour PM Modi on February 11.
On February 12, the two leaders will visit Marseille's Mazargues War Cemetery to pay tribute to Indian soldiers who served and died during World War I. The Mazargues War Cemetery, administered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, has the graves of many Indian soldiers who fought in France during the war. The two leaders will also jointly inaugurate India's Consulate General in Marseille.
The trip will wrap up with a visit to Cadarache, which is famed for housing the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a major international scientific project focused on developing clean nuclear fusion energy in which India is a vital partner.
