For Indians, French provides yet another passport to growing opportunities in the world - and a conduit for taking bits of India across the world adding to a growing Maha Akhand Bharat. Duolingo s India Report Card 2022 found that French has the highest number of learners in India after English and Hindi. For Macron, growing interest among Indians in French touches on a project close to his heart. Relaunching French as the international language has been one of his prime cultural projects. Mastering French not only opens opportunities for Indians in France but in Belgium, Switzerland, parts of Canada and other Francophonic territories too.
The French views on foreign affairs, therefore, converge with the Indian preference for a multipolar world and strategic independence. How can this aid the two countries' future ties and what have been the outcomes of PM Modi's recent visit?
India has announced the opening of its second consulate in France, which will be located in Marseille. The move was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an address to the Indian community in Paris, in which he said the consulate would "help deepen India-France relationship and help in fast processing of Indian visa". India s current sole consulate in France is in Paris. The new consulate is set to further boost ties between the nations.
French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted in Hindi on Saturday after his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Moments later, PM Modi reciprocated the gesture with a tweet in French.