Prime Minister Narendra Modi has departed for an official diplomatic visit to France and Slovakia to attend the G7 Summit [1].

The tour marks a strategic effort by India to deepen economic and innovation ties with European partners while positioning itself as a leading voice for the Global South in multilateral forums.

The diplomatic mission is scheduled to last six days [2], spanning from June 13 to June 18, 2024 [3]. During the visit, Modi is expected to hold key bilateral talks to strengthen strategic and cultural ties with both France and Slovakia [1].

A central component of the itinerary is the G7 Summit. While most reports place the summit in Evian, France [1, 2], one source indicates the event took place in Italy [4]. The prime minister's participation in the summit is intended to address global challenges and foster international cooperation.

In France, the visit also includes engagement with VivaTech 2026, highlighting India's focus on technological innovation and digital transformation [1]. These discussions are part of a broader goal to enhance strategic partnerships in sectors ranging from defense, to sustainable development.

The visit to Slovakia follows the French leg of the trip, focusing on bilateral diplomatic discussions to expand trade and political cooperation between the two nations [1, 5].

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has departed for an official diplomatic visit to France and Slovakia”

This diplomatic tour underscores India's ambition to act as a bridge between the G7 nations and the developing world. By combining a high-level security and economic summit with technology-focused events like VivaTech and bilateral visits to Central European nations like Slovakia, India is diversifying its strategic dependencies and expanding its influence within the European Union.