PM Narendra Modi returns after visits to France, UAE

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday returned after "successful" visits to France and the United Arab Emirates.

In France, the prime minister was the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade, which saw participation of a tri-service Indian armed forces contingent led by a military band to mark the 25th anniversary of India-France Strategic Partnership.

India and France signed a slew of agreements covering sectors as diverse as space, civil aviation, museology, petroleum, and business, besides unveiling a roadmap for partnership over the next 25 years titled Horizon 2047.

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India and France were also exploring possibilities for co-development and co-production of key military platforms for export to friendly countries and stepping up cooperation in space-based maritime awareness.

In the UAE, Modi met President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the two leaders agreed to start trade settlement in their currencies and link their fast payment systems to make international financial interactions simpler and open a campus of IIT-Delhi in the Gulf nation.

The prime minister also met UN climate conference's President-designate Sultan Al Jaber. 

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi described the Prime Minister's visit to France and the UAE as "successful" and "transformative".