Modi arrives in Delhi after completing France, UAE visits

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday arrived in the national capital after completing his visit to France and UAE.

Modi had embarked on two-day visit to France on July 13 and was received by his French counterpart Elisabeth Borne on his arrival in Paris.

Modi was also conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest award on Thursday by French president Emmanuel Macron.

He is the first Indian prime minister to receive the honour.

During his visit, the Prime Minister on Friday participated in the Bastille Day parade in Paris as the guest of honour.

Among the list of outcomes of Modi’s visit to France includes the roadmap of India-France Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

Another outcome was the issuance of five-year validity short-stay Schengen Visa for Indians who are degree holders from French educational institutions (Masters and above).

In view of the uptick in defence industrial collaborations between the two countries, India is setting up a Technical Office of the DRDO at its embassy in Paris.

India and France will also constructively engage other like-minded countries to strengthen the negotiations for an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution, pursuant to the historic UNEA 5.2 resolution among several others.

After completing his France visit, Modi also visited UAE on Saturday and was warmly welcomed at the airport by UAE’s Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. This was Modi's fifth visit to the UAE.

Modi held talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the two countries signed several MoUs.

Before leaving for India from his one day visit to UAE, Modi said: “Concluding a productive UAE visit. Our nations are working together on so many issues aimed at making our planet better. I thank HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the warm hospitality.”