French foreign minister invites Modi to France

New Delhi, July 1: French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on Tuesday met Prime Minister

and invited him to visit France.

An official statement said both sides reiterated their commitment to further strengthen and expand their bilateral relationship.

An official of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said Modi mentioned that French satellite SPOT-7 was placed in orbit by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle from Sriharikota on Monday.

The prime minister sought French cooperation in the field of urban planning and heritage conservation.

Observing that France had provided technical support for the Ahmedabad Heritage Project, Modi said India planned to build heritage cities and 100 new smart cities and sought France's cooperation in it.

"The prime minister also sought French cooperation in the fields of tourism, skill development and low-cost defence manufacturing," the statement said.

"The French foreign minister said France was keen to expand the cooperation and the relationship, following the assumption of office by the new government in India," the statement added.

"He (French foreign minister) discussed the student exchange programme, and further deepening of the technological cooperation between the two countries. The issue of terrorism also figured in the talks," it said.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, India's Ambassador to France Arun Singh, and Ambassador of France to India Francois Richier were also present in the meeting.

IANS