Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron jointly inaugurated the Indian Consulate in Marseille on February 12, 2025. This event highlights the strengthening of diplomatic and economic ties between India and France. The consulate, India's second diplomatic mission in France after the embassy in Paris, is expected to enhance trade, facilitate business opportunities, and provide crucial consular services to the growing Indian diaspora in southern France.

Marseille's strategic importance stems from its location on the Mediterranean coast, serving as a vital trade gateway connecting Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. It is also a key entry point for the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which seeks to improve connectivity between India and Europe.

Modi emphasised the deep trust and shared values, such as democratic principles and innovation, that underpin the friendship between India and France. He also acknowledged Marseille's historical significance in India's freedom struggle, recalling Veer Savarkar's courageous escape attempt and thanking the French activists who supported him.

In addition to the consulate inauguration, Modi and Macron co-chaired the AI Action Summit in Paris, underscoring the shared vision for technological advancements and AI-driven innovation. They also visited the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, a major global collaboration in nuclear fusion research. Furthermore, an initiative on India-France Triangular Development Cooperation is expected to be launched, focusing on climate and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) projects in the Indo-Pacific region.

ANI