French President Emmanuel Macron has bestowed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an award ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris on July 14. It is the highest French honour in military or civilian orders.
During PM Modi’s two-day visit to France, India and France reached an agreement to use India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in France. Making the announcement in Paris, PM Modi said that in the coming days, UPI usage will begin from Eiffel Tower.
India will open a new consulate in Marseille, PM Modi announced on July 13 while addressing the Indian community at La Seine Musicale in Paris. He also said that a statue of Tamil philosopher Thiruvalluvar will be installed in the Cergy Prefecture.
Indian students who are pursuing a master’s degree in France will now be given a five-year long-term post-study visa. Earlier, Indian students were given a two-year work visa. He made the announcement during his address to the Indian community at Paris’s LA Seine Musicale.
French President Macron gifted PM Modi the framed facsimile of the photograph “A Parisian presenting flowers to a Sikh, 14 July 1916.” The picture shows a French woman giving flowers to a Sikh soldier during World War I. He also gifted reproductions of the Charlemagne chessmen and Marcel Proust’s Le temps retrouvé (Time Regained), among others.
