New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the French port city of Marseille for the final leg of his visit to France on Tuesday night (local time), where he paid homage to freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. PM Modi also highlighted the historical ties between the two nations. “Landed in Marseille. In India’s quest for freedom, this city holds special significance,” PM Modi wrote on social media platform X.
PM Modi also emphasised the significance of Marseille in India’s struggle for independence, recalling Veer Savarkar’s daring escape attempt while being transported to India for trial by the British.
President Macron and I reached Marseille a short while ago. This visit will witness important programmes aimed at further connecting India and France. The Indian consulate which is being inaugurated will deepen people-to-people linkages. I will also pay homage to the Indian… pic.twitter.com/RtgGPkJjNg
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 11, 2025
PM’s itinerary in Marseille
In Marseille, PM Modi will inaugurate India’s newest Consulate General, a move aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties between India and France. The PM will also pay tributes to Indian soldiers who fought and sacrificed their lives in the First and Second World Wars. He will visit the Mazargues War Cemetery to pay his respects to these brave soldiers.
“President Macron and I reached Marseille a short while ago. This visit will witness important programmes aimed at further connecting India and France. The Indian consulate which is being inaugurated will deepen people-to-people linkages. I will also pay homage to the Indian soldiers martyred in the First and Second World Wars,” PM Modi said on landing in Marseille.
Another key highlight of his Marseille visit is a tour of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, a major global initiative in nuclear fusion research, where India is an active participant.
After his events in the port city, the PM will leave for US. He will hold bilateral meet with President Donald Trump in White House.
At CEO Forum, PM extends invitation to French businesses
Before arriving in Marseille, PM Modi attended the AI Action Summit in Paris, where he co-chaired discussions with President Macron on global AI governance and technological collaboration. At the summit, Modi asserted that AI would not replace human jobs but rather transform them, creating new economic opportunities. He also met key global leaders, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai and US Vice President JD Vance.
Earlier, at the 14th India-France CEO Forum, PM Modi extended an invitation to French businesses, urging them to seize investment opportunities in India. “This is the right time to come to India. When France’s finesse and India’s scale meet, when India’s pace and France’s precision join, when France’s technology and India’s talent unite, a global transformation will take place,” he said.
