- Wednesday, April 23, 2025
The Indian PM said France is an important partner in the ideas of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday (14) said his country sees France as a natural partner in its determination to become a developed nation.
He also touched upon the launch of Chandrayaan 3, India’s third lunar mission, the same day and spoke on agreements between the space agencies of India and France.
VIDEO | "Defence ties have been an important pillar in the relationship between India and France. France is a crucial partner for us in Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat," says PM Modi in joint press meet with French President Emmanuel Macron at Elysee Palace in Paris,… pic.twitter.com/btXKIr8Te2
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 14, 2023
“Today, on the successful launch of Chandrayaan 3, the entire India is excited. This is a major achievement of our scientists. In the arena of Space, India and France have had an old and deep cooperation. There have been new agreements between our Space agencies…,” the prime minister said.
He was speaking at a joint briefing with French president Emmanuel Macron at Elysee Palace in Paris.
Modi said the two nations are currently celebrating 25 years of their strategic partnership and making a roadmap for the next 25 on the basis of the strong foundation of the previous 25. He said bold and ambitious goals were being set and people of India have taken the resolve to make the country a developed nation.
“In this journey, we see France as a natural partner,” he said.
The prime minister also called defence ties as the foundation of India-France relations and said the European country is an important partner in the ideas of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self reliant India). He said whether it is in case of submarines or Indian naval ships, the aim is to fulfil not just India’s own requirements but also those of other friendly nations.
Modi also announced the launch of India’s successful Unified Payments Interface in France, adding that it will begin from the Eiffel Tower.
The prime minister said India will open a new consulate in the French city of Marseille. He also welcomed Paris’s move to issue long-term visas to people of Indian origin studying in France and welcomed French universities to set up campuses in the South Asian nation.
Modi also added that athletes from his country were eagerly waiting to take part in the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
