Macron bids farewell to Modi in Hindi, plans India visit next February

‘Priya mitra Narendra…’: French President Emmanuel Macron's Hindi farewell message for PM Modi | Watch

French President Emmanuel Macron surprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a heartfelt farewell message in Hindi as the Indian leader concluded his multi-city visit to France on Thursday. Macron expressed gratitude for Modi's visit and announced his plans to travel to India in February next year.

The exchange marked the conclusion of Modi's France tour, which began in Nice, continued in Evian for the G7 summit, and ended in Paris. Speaking in Hindi, Macron said, "Priya mitra Narendra, mujhe bohot khushi hui aapk Nice, Evian aur Paris mein swagat karke. France aur Bharat ki dosti amar rahe," translating to, "Dear friend Narendra, I was very happy to welcome you to Nice, Evian and Paris. Long live the friendship between France and India."

Switching to English, Macron added, "I hope it was correct. My dear Narendra Modi, I wanted to thank you so much for your friendship. France loves you. I am so happy you are with so many friends in Paris before leaving and going back to Delhi." He reiterated his intention to visit India next February.

On the final day of the visit, Modi and Macron attended VivaTech 2026 in Paris, Europe's largest technology and start-up event, where India participated as the AI Country Partner. The two leaders toured exhibition pavilions, interacted with innovators and entrepreneurs, and shared a warm embrace during the event.

Before departing France, Modi addressed the Indian diaspora in Paris, highlighting India's remarkable economic growth over the past 12 years. He noted that India's exports had increased 35-fold, while mobile manufacturing units had grown 100-fold, making the country the world's second-largest mobile manufacturer. Modi emphasized India's status as the fastest-growing major economy and credited the power of democracy for his journey from a tea seller to serving as Prime Minister for 12 consecutive years.

Modi further reflected on India's progress, stating that the GDP had doubled during the period, alongside significant developments in infrastructure, such as airports, universities, and highways. He also highlighted that 250 million people had been lifted out of poverty. Praising the Indian community in France, Modi called the diaspora a key pillar of the bilateral relationship between the two nations.