Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reached Paris on Monday evening, attended a welcome dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace before the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit.
In a warm gesture, upon his arrival, Mr Macron welcomed his "friend" PM Modi with a warm hug.
"Welcome to Paris, my friend @narendramodi," Mr Macron wrote on X as he shared a video of the PM's arrival at the Elysee Palace for the welcome dinner.
Welcome to Paris, my friend @NarendraModi! Nice to meet you dear @VP Vance! Welcome to all our partners for the AI Action Summit.
At the venue, PM Modi met with several other world leaders who would be attending the AI Summit, including US Vice President JD Vance - the first such meeting of the two leaders after Mr Vance took oath last month. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) also shared photos of the three leaders interacting with each other during the welcome dinner.
Upon the landing of PM Modi in Paris, he received a grand welcome from the Indian community. Photos show the PM waving and handshaking to them. "A memorable welcome in Paris! The cold weather didn't deter the Indian community from showing their affection this evening. Grateful to our diaspora and proud of them for their accomplishments," he said.
This is the sixth visit that PM Modi will make to France.
In his departure statement, the PM said that the bilateral segment of his visit will provide an opportunity to review the progress on the 2047 Horizon Roadmap for India-France strategic partnership along with his "friend" President Macron.
After the AI Summit today, PM Modi and President Macron will visit Marseille, where the latter will host a dinner in honor of PM Modi. On Wednesday, the two leaders will pay their respects at the Mazargues War Cemetery in Marseille, where Indian soldiers fought and died during World War I.
The Mazargues War Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery that holds the graves of many Indian soldiers who fought in France during the war.
The two leaders will also jointly inaugurate the Consulate General of India in Marseille.
PM Modi will end his France tour with an important visit to Cadarache, a place famous for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) - one of the most significant collaborative scientific projects in creating clean nuclear fusion energy, with India being one of the main partners.
AI Summit
The AI Action Summit will take place today, bringing together global leaders and tech CEOs to discuss the future of AI.
The summit aims to promote cooperation on the responsible and ethical use of AI technologies, which may prove pivotal in shaping the future of the global economy.
The previous editions of the AI Summit were held in the UK in 2023 and then in South Korea in 2024.
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