PM Modi departs for New Delhi after concluding two-nation visit to France, Slovakia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for New Delhi on Thursday, June 18, 2026, after completing his two-country visit to France and Slovakia, where he attended the G-7 Summit and held bilateral talks with many world leaders.

“This visit to France was quite comprehensive in terms of engagement and results. It started in Nice where the Bharat Innovates program was held, followed by Evian for G7 and then VivaTech 2026 and Paris where I addressed a large community program and met CEOs,” Mr Modi said in a social media post.

“I am especially grateful to my friend President Macron, the government and people of France for their warmth. India-France friendship will grow stronger in the times to come,” he added.

Mr Modi addressed the Indian diaspora earlier in the day and said India had emerged as a “reliable partner” for the world.

Mr. Modi also said that this was a defining period in India’s journey where aspirations reached new heights.

“It is always special to engage with the Indian diaspora and highlight the collective strides of 140 crore Indians,” Mr. Modi said in a post on X.

Mr Modi also spoke at the VivaTech 2026 technology forum in Paris and made a strong pitch for the democratization of technology, arguing that AI means “all-in” for India.

Mr Modi highlighted India’s technological prowess and said half of global digital transactions take place in the country.

Mr Modi was in the French commune of Evian-Les-Bains on Tuesday and Wednesday for the G7 Summit, to which India was invited as a guest country.

Mr Modi met with world leaders on the margins of the G7 Summit, including US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, EU top leader Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Mr Modi raised the issue of sailor safety in his meeting with Mr Trump, calling for the protection of sailors to be given top priority during the implementation of the peace deal Washington signed with Iran.

Earlier, Mr Modi concluded his “historic and fruitful” visit to Slovakia.

“The results of this visit will go a long way in strengthening bilateral ties between our countries. Stronger trade relations will greatly benefit our youth. We are grateful to the government and people of Slovakia for their warmth,” he said.

His visit to Slovakia was the first by an Indian Prime Minister.

During his visit, India and Slovakia upgraded their ties to a comprehensive partnership and signed 11 agreements to expand bilateral cooperation in various fields such as migration, digital technology and defence.