Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Paris on Thursday on a two-day visit on the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.
On Friday, he attended the Bastille Day parade, where he was the guest of honour.
Ahead of the ceremony, Macron awarded Modi the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the country's top order of merit, which Modi hailed as "an honour for the 1.4 billion Indians".
During his visit, the Prime Minister made various announcements for the Indian diaspora residing in the European nation.
UPI in France
Modi said that India and France have agreed to use Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in the European nation, opening a huge new market for Indian innovation.
Addressing the Indian community at the La Seine Musicale, a performing arts centre on an island in the river Seine, Modi said very soon Indian tourists will be able to make rupee payments using UPI from atop the Eiffel Tower.
“In France, an agreement has been made for the use of India's UPI. It will be started from the Eiffel Tower, and now Indian tourists would be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, in the Eiffel Tower,” the prime minister said.
In 2022, the National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI), the umbrella organisation that offers UPI services, signed an MoU with France's fast and secure online payment system, called Lyra.
Visa extension for master's students
Indian students pursuing a master's degree in France will now be given a five-year long-term post-study visa, Modi announced.
"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 a long-term post-study visa of five years," he said.
During his address, the Prime Minister also highlighted the contribution of the Indian community in France, who form a strong foundation of the India-France partnership.
Approximately 65,000 immigrants from India currently reside in France.
Indian Consulate in Marseille
Modi announced the opening of a new Indian consulate in Marseille in France. He also said in a few weeks or months from now a statue of great Tamil philosopher Thiruvalluvar will be built in the Cergy Prefecture.
OCI issues in Reunion Island
The Prime Minister also announced that the issue of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) in Reunion Island is resolved. He assured that the government is working to resolve the issue in Martinique and Guadeloupe as well. All three aforementioned islands are overseas regions of France.
The Prime Minister will also hold talks with Macron, and the deal to purchase 26 Rafale aircraft and three submarines is also likely to be finalised during his visit.
Rafale jets
Along with various announcements for the Indian diaspora, a new multi-billion-dollar deal for French fighter jets was also announced during the visit.
The defence ministry said that the country 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 is one of the biggest buyers of French arms, and Modi announced a landmark deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets during a 2015 trip to Paris that was worth around €4.0 billion at the time.
(With agency inputs)
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