Modi France visit highlights: PM Modi to meet Elon Musk during US visit, says report

PM in France Live: Ahead of his visit to the US, PM Modi shared a video on X highlighting his time in Marseille with French President Emmanuel Macron.

PM in France Live: Mark Linscott a senior trade advisor for the Trump administration told news agency ANI, "There is tremendous potential and I think that during PM Modi's visit, the two sides will agree to start the negotiation. Covering the trade issues, it will challenging negotiation, but they would conclude on quite a large trade deal."

PM in France Live: The White House confirmed that final decisions on reciprocal tariffs against countries such as China, India and Brazil would be announced prior to PM Modi's visit on Thursday.

PM in France Live: During a press briefing on February 7, foreign secretary Vikram Misri pointed towards the importance of PM Modi's visit to the US, especially for the Indian community in the country.

He said that the move would help to solidify people-to people relations between the countries and added, “The 5.4 million-strong Indian community in the US and the more than 3,50,000 students from India who are pursuing studies in universities strengthen this bond immeasurably."

PM in France Live: Starlink has long wanted to launch in India and has in recent months clashed with billionaire Mukesh Ambani's company over how the country should grant spectrum for satellite services. India's government has sided with Musk that spectrum should be assigned and not auctioned, but Starlink's licence application is still under review.

Ambani had lobbied New Delhi that he wanted a level playing field and his executives have been worried that his telecom company, which spent $19 billion in airwave auctions, risks losing broadband customers to Starlink and potentially data and voice clients as technology advances. (Reuters)

PM in France Live: PM Modi is set to meet Elon Musk during his trip this week to the United States, and Starlink's entry in the South Asian market could come up for discussion, two people familiar with the plans told Reuters on Wednesday.

PM in France Live: Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar said, "Trump and Modi ji have met twice before, and they share a very good friendship. That friendship should be strengthened. With Trump's term just beginning, it's great that Modi Ji is visiting. They will discuss various issues, including tariffs, fair trade, and immigration, particularly the deportation of migrants from India. The relationship between America and India should be strengthened."

PM in France Live: A former French government minister, who asked not to be identified, told AFP that Macron had "the right intuition" because "Modi, who is leading an emerging power, has found a balanced position between the Americans, the Chinese and the Russians".

PM in France Live: Macron had that the relationship with India is part of France's strategy of seeking an alternative to the superpower rivalry between the United States and China, AFP reported.

"India and France are two great powers who are very closely aligned in our desire to work with the United States of America, and to work with China, but we don't want to be dependent on anybody," Macron said on French television. "We want to be independent."

PM in France Live: PM Narendra Modi gifted Dokra Artwork - musicians with studded stonework, to French President Emmanuel Macron.

Made from brass and copper, the piece features fine detailing and is enhanced with lapis lazuli and coral for contrast. The labor-intensive casting process reflects the artisans' deep skill and dedication. More than just decoration, this Dokra piece embodies India's rich cultural legacy, celebrating tribal traditions and artistic excellence. (ANI)

PM in France Live: President and CEO of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) Mukesh Aghi, emphasised that PM Modi's US trip will focus on strengthening geopolitical alignment, trade relations, technology transfer and the issue of illegal immigration will also be discussed.

Aghi highlighted the importance of early discussions between PM Modi and President Donald Trump, noting that alignment on common objectives would help drive the growth of both economies.

PM in France Live: Prime Minister Modi and President Macron welcomed the inclusion of Indian startups at the French Startup Incubator Station F and the expanded possibilities for using India’s real-time payment system - Unified Payments Interface (UPI) - in France.

PM in France Live: “Thank you France! A productive visit concludes, where I attended programmes ranging from AI, commerce, energy and cultural linkages,” PM Modi wrote on X.

“Gratitude to President @EmmanuelMacron and the people of France”.

PM in France Live: PM Modi notes a presentation on the India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval were also present.

PM in France Live: PM Modi completed the France leg of his overseas visit and departed for Washington to attend a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump.

PM in France Live: PM Modi and President Macron underlined the key importance of strengthening EU-India relations, given the upcoming India-EU summit at the earliest possible in New Delhi.

PM in France Live: India and France took note of growing ties with Australia and the United Arab Emirates under the trilateral format, the joint statement said.

The two leaders directed concerned officials to work together with officials from the Governments of United Arab Emirates and Australia, towards identifying concrete projects of trilateral cooperation in the field of economy, innovation, health, renewable energy, education, culture, and the maritime domain, including under the IPOI and IORA as identified during the focal points meeting held virtually last year for both the trilateral dialogues.

PM in France Live: PM Modi and President Macron visited the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor [ITER] in Cadarache on Wednesday and welcomed the progress in assembling the world's largest fusion reactor, Tokamak.

The reactor will produce 500 MW of nuclear fusion energy, creating, containing and controlling burning plasma.

PM in France Live: “The two leaders recalled the launch of the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) on the margins of the G20 Summit in Delhi in September 2023 and agreed to work together more closely on implementing the initiative. Both leaders stressed the importance of IMEC to foster connectivity, sustainable growth trajectories and access to clean energy across these regions. In this regard, they acknowledged the strategic location of Marseille in the Mediterranean Sea,” reads the joint statement.

PM in France Live: “Prime Minister Modi also invited the French Army to take a closer look at the Pinaka MBLR, emphasizing that an acquisition of this system by France would be another milestone in Indo-French defence ties,” reads the joint statement.

PM in France Live: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, “The India, France relationship, which has a strategic partnership, I should say which has just completed 25 years, has seen consistent and all-round progress, as per the three pillars of the Horizon 2047 road map, which is a partnership for security and sovereignty.”

PM in France Live: Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said that India and France exchanged views on recent geopolitical developments in Europe, West Asia, and the Indo-Pacific and discussed a number of these issues of global and regional importance.

PM in France Live: “Acknowledging the paramount importance of advancing scientific knowledge, research and innovation, and recalling the long and enduring engagement between India and France in those areas, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi announced the grand inauguration of the India-France Year of Innovation in New Delhi in March 2026 by launching its Logo,” reads the joint statement.

PM in France Live: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Macron acknowledged India-France civil nuclear ties and efforts in cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, notably in relation to the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant Project.

Modi and Macron welcomed the first meeting of the Special Task Force on Civil Nuclear Energy, the signing of a letter of intent on Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMR), and the Implementing Agreement between India’s GCNEP, DAE and France’s INSTN, CEA for cooperation in training and education of nuclear professionals.

PM in France Live: India's foreign secretary Vikram Misri said that India wants to co-design, co-produce & co-develop Advanced Modular Reactors and Small Modular Reactors.