Indian PM Modi to visit France, Slovakia in June

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to travel to France and Slovakia next month as India-Europe engagements intensify. His itinerary includes attending the G7 Summit in Évian-les-Bains, visiting Nice and Paris in France, and visiting Slovakia.

The 52nd G7 Summit, hosted by France in the scenic town of Évian-les-Bains from 15-17 June, will bring together leaders from the world's major industrialised democracies. French President Emmanuel Macron has invited PM Modi as a key outreach partner, continuing a tradition of engaging major like-minded global economies on pressing global issues. Indian PM Modi has been invited to the summit regularly since 2019. Interestingly, it was France that started this tradition.

US President Donald Trump is also attending the summit, though it is not known if any bilateral meetings with the Indian side are planned or under consideration. No in-person meeting has happened between PM Modi and Trump since February 2025, even as both leaders have had a number of telephonic talks since then.

Ties between India, US have seen a chill due to Trump's claim on mediating between Delhi and Islamabad after the May 2025 conflict. The US President had also imposed tariffs on India and endorsed remarks that termed the country a "hellhole". The tariffs have been removed currently as both sides engage in a trade arrangement.

While US Secretary of State Rubio had visited India earlier this month, the visit saw no major outcomes except a minerals deal, even as he shrugged off any racism in the country against Indians.

PM Modi is scheduled to make a bilateral visit to Slovakia, a move that builds on recent momentum in ties between the two countries. In February, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini visited India for the India AI Impact Summit and held talks with the Indian PM. This is the first-ever visit of an Indian PM to the country since both countries established ties in 1993.

Bilateral trade has grown steadily, surpassing €1.3 billion recently, with potential in automotive, engineering, defence, electronics, renewable energy, including nuclear, space technology and AI. Both sides have expressed interest in deeper cooperation on Industry 4.0, digital transformation, and startups. Slovakia, an EU member with strong manufacturing capabilities, sees value in partnering with India's vast market and innovation ecosystem.

The automotive industry is emerging as a cornerstone of economic cooperation. Slovakia, often called “Europe’s Detroit,” produces nearly one million cars annually, the highest per capita output globally, and hosts major manufacturers including Volkswagen, Kia, Stellantis, and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR).

The most prominent Indian link is Tata Motors’ Jaguar Land Rover, which operates a state-of-the-art €1.4 billion manufacturing facility in Nitra, Slovakia. Opened in 2018, the plant produces Land Rover Defender and Discovery models for global markets, marking one of the largest Indian investments in the country.

The visits come as India deepens European engagement following recent trips to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy. They align with broader goals, including progress toward an India-EU Free Trade Agreement and diversification of supply chains.