Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started a tour of Europe with visits to France and Slovakia ahead of the G7 summit.
The trip signals India's intent to deepen strategic, technology, and economic cooperation with key European partners. By engaging in bilateral talks before the multilateral summit, India seeks to align its interests on global security and trade with the host nations.
Modi is scheduled to hold talks with President Emmanuel Macron as part of the visit [1]. The itinerary includes stops in France, including the city of Nice, and Slovakia [2]. These engagements are designed to foster cultural, and technological partnerships between India and the two nations [3].
The diplomatic outreach serves as a precursor to the G7 summit, which is hosted in France [2]. The summit is scheduled to take place from June 15 to 17, 2024 [1].
Officials said the tour aims to strengthen the strategic partnership between India and France. The discussions with President Macron are expected to cover a range of bilateral interests and global cooperation efforts [2].
In Slovakia, the prime minister will focus on outreach to expand India's diplomatic footprint in Central Europe [1]. This visit is part of a broader effort to diversify India's economic ties and secure technological collaborations across the continent [3].
“The trip signals India's intent to deepen strategic, technology, and economic cooperation with key European partners.”
This diplomatic circuit demonstrates India's strategy of combining bilateral relationship-building with multilateral engagement. By visiting France and Slovakia immediately before the G7 summit, India positions itself as a critical bridge between the Global South and Western powers, ensuring its economic and strategic priorities are recognized by G7 leaders.
