Paris: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the French capital on the first leg of his three-nation visit.
The Prime Minister's special Air India aircraft landed at the Orly International Airport late Thursday night, or just past midnight India time.
He was received at the airport by French Minister Sergolene Royal and other senior French officials.
Many members of the Indian community were gathered at the airport to greet the Prime Minister.
Modi will begin his diplomatic engagements from Friday.
During his stay in Paris, Modi will hold talks with President Francois Hollande and meet business leaders.
The focus of talks will be civil nuclear, defence and trade. A highlight of the four-day stay in France will be a boat ride by Modi and Hollande, which is being described as 'naav pe charcha' (chat on boat).
He will also hold two back-to-back round-tables with top French CEOs -- one focused on infrastructure and the other on defence technology.
India is hoping that French companies will participate in the 'Make in India' programme initiated by Modi.
From France, Modi will travel to Germany where again business and technology will be the focus with intent of attracting participation in 'Make in India'. He will first visit the Hannover Fair where India is a partner country this year. About 400 Indian companies are participating in the fair which will see the presence of about 100-120 Indian CEOs besides about 3000 German delegates.
Modi, along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, will inaugurate the 'India Pavilion' of the Fair and address an India-German business summit.
He will also unveil a bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Hannover. The two leaders will have detailed talks in Berlin with focus on how Germany can work with India in its developmental agenda.
The Prime Minister will visit a railway station in Berlin amid his government's agenda of modernising Railways. He will also visit Siemens facility there.
In the third and last leg of the tour, he will travel to Canada, marking the first standalone visit by an Indian Prime Minister in over 42 years. The last such visit took place in 1973.
Modi will have talks with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on a wide range of issues, including nuclear energy, trade and investment.
India sees Canada as an important partner in fulfilling its developmental needs and expects the visit to impart new vigour in the bilateral relations.
Modi will also address the Indian diaspora in a "Madison Square-like" event there. He will also visit a memorial set up for Air India crash victims in Toronto as also Laxmi Narayan Temple in Vancouver.
Latest World News
