Macron to visit India in December to participate in International Solar Alliance Summit

French President Emmanuel Macron will make his first visit to India in December during which he will take part in the International Solar Alliance Summit. France's Ambassador to India Alexandre Ziegler confirmed the visit. Macron will also hold official talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his stay between December 8 and 10.

During the summit, the International Solar Alliance, an India-led initiate which has the backing of around 121 solar- rich countries to tackle energy issues, will come into effect with the adoption of a legal instrument.

The International Solar Alliance was launched in 2015 by Modi and the then French president Francois Hollande in the presence of former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

The prime minister had met Macron, who at 39 is the youngest president in France's history, during his visit to Paris in June.

France is India's 9th largest investment partner. It is also a key partner in India s development initiatives in areas like defence, space, nuclear and renewable energy, urban development and railways. PTI SBR PYK