PM in France | Modi describes India as ‘model of diversity’ and announces agreement for use of UPI in France
The Hindu
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first day in France was interpreted as a step towards closer military cooperation between the two countries, as India was gearing up to acquire 26 new Rafale-M fighter jets that will fit into India’s maritime military plans.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indian diaspora in France on July 13 and described India as a “model of diversity” and announced an agreement for the use of UPI in France, opening a huge new market for the Indian innovation in cashless instant payment.
His two-day visit to France was interpreted as a step towards closer military cooperation between the two countries, as India was gearing up to acquire 26 new Rafale-M fighter jets that will fit into India’s maritime military plans.
The Defence Ministry said that India intended to order 26 more Rafale jets as well as another three Scorpene-class submarines, with the price and other terms still being worked out.
India has been one of the biggest buyers of French arms, and Mr. Modi announced a landmark deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets during a 2015 trip to Paris that was worth around €4 billion at the time.
In his nearly an hour-long speech to the enthusiastic crowd at the La Seine Musicale — a performing arts centre on an island in the river Seine — PM Modi outlined India’s fast-paced development and asserted that while the world is moving towards a new order, India’s strength and role are also changing very quickly.
He mentioned India’s presidency of the G-20 in this context and noted how the world has been left impressed by the way the country has been hosting various events.
Mr. Modi also announced the opening of a new Indian consulate in Marseille in France and told the cheerful audience that Indian students doing masters in the European country will now get five-year-long post-study work visas.
With a new government in place in Delhi, Singapore hopes to schedule the Ministerial Roundtable with India shortly, says Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. In an exclusive interview, he speaks about the impact of the elections on ties, the “missed opportunity” of RCEP and the new buzz around Andhra Pradesh’s capital Amaravati.