PM addresses India-France Business Summit in Chandigarh. 16 Agreements exchanged

PM addresses India-France Business Summit in Chandigarh. 16 Agreements exchanged

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, addressed the India-France Business Summit in Chandigarh today. 

The Prime Minister appreciated France for the manner in which it coordinated the CoP 21 negotiations. He recalled that President Hollande had spoken to him over phone and had shared the outline of the proposed agreement, shortly before it was announced.

The Prime Minister recalled the deadly terror attack in Paris a few days before the CoP-21 meeting, and said France has shown the way to combat terrorism without deviating from its core principles. He said India will stand shoulder to shoulder with France in the fight against terrorism.

The Prime Minister spoke at length about the complementarities between India and France, and said both countries are in fact made for each other. Speaking about the security and defence sector, the Prime Minister said Indian talent and French manufacturing capability can together make the world a more secure place. In this context, he mentioned cyber-security as well.

The Prime Minister said French companies are well invested in India. He asserted that retrospective tax was a thing of the past, and a closed chapter. He mentioned the initiatives of Mission Innovation, involving India, US and France, and the International Solar Alliance.

16 MoUs and Agreements were exchanged at the Summit. 

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Visit of PM and French President Francois Hollande to the Museum in Chandigarh for display of Archaeological findings

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and President Mr. Francois Hollande paid a joint visit to the Government Museum and Art Gallery in Chandigarh, as part of their engagements during the State Visit of President Hollande to India on 24 January 2016.

The two Leaders viewed the displays of archaeological findings from the foothills of the Himalayas which suggest human activity possibly dating back to 2.6 million years ago, making them among the oldest known remnants of human existence. This significant discovery is the result of seven years of extensive research and collaboration between the Prehistory Department of the National Museum of Natural History of France and the Society of Archaeological and Anthropological Research of Chandigarh undertaken under the auspices of an “Agreement of Collaboration between Society for Archaeological & Anthropological Research, India and French National Museum of Natural History”.

The archaeological discovery comprises about 1500 fossil finds, including 200 quartzite tools collected from several locations spread over 50 acres of area in Masol region near Chandigarh. The research work relating to this archaeological discovery is being published in the form of articles in the Palevol Review.

The Prime Minister and President Hollande congratulated the Indo-French team for their joint research work leading to this discovery. They underlined that this example of successful bilateral collaboration illustrated the long-standing cultural ties and enduring collaboration between India and France in rediscovering, preserving and promoting our shared cultural heritage. They hoped that such discoveries would lend further momentum for more joint endeavours in the future. 

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