Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday left the national capital for France to attend bilateral and multilateral programmes there. From France, Modi will travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain beforere turning to France to attend the G7 Summit.Modi's five-day visit to the threenations is scheduled between August 22 and 26.

"PM@narendramodi emplanes for Paris. Over the next fewdays, he will attend important bilateral and multilateral programmes in France,UAE and Bahrain," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) tweeted. Before takinga special aircraft to France, the Prime Minister said in a statement: "Myvisit to France reflects the strong strategic partnership, which our twocountries deeply value and share."

On Thursday and Friday, Modi would have bilateral meetings inFrance, including a summit interaction with French President Emmanuel Macronand a meeting with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

He would also interact with the Indian community anddedicate a memorial to the Indian victims of the two Air India crashes inFrance in the 1950s and 1960s.On August 25 and 26, Modi would participate inthe G7 Summit as Biarritz Partner at the invitation of the French Presidentduring the sessions on environment, climate, oceans and digital transformation.

"India and France have excellent bilateral ties, whichare reinforced by a shared vision to cooperate for further enhancing peace andprosperity for our two countries and the world at large. "Our strongstrategic and economic partnership is complemented by a shared perspective onmajor global concerns such as terrorism, climate change. I am confident thatthis visit will further promote our long-standing and valued friendship withFrance for mutual prosperity, peace and progress," Modi said in thestatement.

During his visit to the UAE and Baharin on August 23 and 24,Modi said he would look forward to discuss with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi,Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the entire gamut of bilateral relations aswell as regional and international issues of mutual interest.The Prime Ministerhas also planned to look forward to jointly release a stamp to commemorate the150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi along with the Crown Prince.

"It will be an honour to receive the 'Order of Zayed',the highest civilian decoration conferred by the UAE government, during thisvisit. I will also formally launch RuPay card to expand the network of cashlesstransactions abroad," he said.

"Frequent high-level interactions between India and theUAE testify our vibrant relations," said Modi, adding that the UAE isIndia's third-largest trade partner and fourth-largest exporter of crude oilfor India. "The qualitative enhancement of these ties is among one of ourforemost foreign policy achievements. The visit would further strengthen ourmultifaceted bilateral ties with UAE," Modi said.

The Prime Minister will also visit Bahrain during his trip,which would be the first ever Prime Ministerial visit from India to Bahrain.

Modi will look forward to discuss with Baharin PrimeMinister Prince Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa to further boost bilateralrelations and share views on regional and international issues of mutualinterest. Modi would also meet the King of Bahrain, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa AlKhalifa, and other leaders there besides interacting with the Indian diaspora.

"I will be blessed to be present at the formalbeginning of the re-development of the temple of Shreenathji -- the oldest inthe Gulf region -- in the wake of the auspicious festival of Janmashtami. I amconfident that this visit would further deepen our relationship acrosssectors," Modi said.