From plans to open a new Indian Consulate in Marseille and a new agreement on the use of India’s Unified Payment Interface (UPI) in France to Master’s students from India being able to access five-year post-study visas, there were a slew of welcome announcements in store for the diaspora that turned out in force as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched down in Paris this week.
“The last time I came to France, it was decided that Indian students studying in France would be given a two-year post-study work visa. Now, it has been decided that Indian students pursuing Masters in France will be given long-term post-study visa of five years,” said PM Modi in his address.
The Indian Prime Minister, who arrived in Paris on July 13 on a two-day official visit. He called his visit to France "special" as it celebrates its National Day and congratulated the people on the occasion. He is attending the Bastille Day Parade with French President Emmanuel Macron and called it a reflection of the "unbreakable friendship between India and France".
He shared: “The Indian government has decided to open a new consulate in Marseille with the help of the French government.
"Be it India's UPI or other digital platforms, they have brought a huge social transformation in the country and I am happy that India and France are also working together in direction. India and France have agreed to use UPI in France. I will leave after the agreement. However, it is your job to move forward. Friends, in the coming days its beginning will be made from Eiffel Tower which means that Indian tourists will now be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, at Eiffel Tower.”
While addressing the Indian community at La Seine Musicale in Paris, Prime Minister Modi spoke about his four-decade-old association with France. He recalled about taking the membership of Alliance Francaise – the cultural centre of France in India, around 40 years back, and that he was the first person who got registered with it.
He said: "Friends, personally my affection for France has been for a very long time and I cannot forget it. Around 40 years back, a cultural centre of France, Alliance Francaise began in Gujarat's Ahmedabad.
“And today the first member of that cultural centre in India is talking right in front of you. A few years back, the French government gave me a photocopy of that identity card and even today it is precious to me."
Speaking about the ties between India and France, PM Modi said that people-to-people connect and mutual trust between the people of the two nations is the strongest foundation of this partnership.
"Our people-to-people connect, mutual trust between people of two countries is the strongest foundation of the India-France partnership,” he said.
"India and France are tackling many challenges of the 21st century. Therefore, at this crucial time, the importance of the strategic partnership between our countries has increased even more," he added.
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Amid cheers, he noted: "French football player Kylian Mbappe is superhit among the youth in India. Mbappe is probably known to more people in India than in France."
(ANI)