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Paris region of France is seeking investments from India as it positions itself as a centre for innovation and finance in the Europe.
Valérie Pécresse, President of the Paris Region, met Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani and Tata Sons chief N Chandrasekaran in Mumbai on Monday to pitch advantages of investing in the region. On Tuesday, the Paris region will sign a partnership agreement with the Karnataka government to promote innovation and investments.
“We are on a charm offensive to win hearts and minds of Indian students, tourists, investors and film makers,” Pécresse told media persons here.
Indians make a fraction of 50 million tourists visiting Paris. The number of Australians and Chinese visiting the city is higher than Indians and the regional government is stepping up its efforts to change that.
Pécresse expects a surge in Indian visitors next year fuelled by interest generated by Olympic games, the head of local government said here on Monday.
While 75 per cent of spectators at the Olympic games which begin in July are expected to be French, it will be watched by two billion people worldwide and that will generate positive impressions about Paris, Pécresse said.
“We expect a rebound in tourism next year,” she said.
Paris is also promoting itself as a destination for weddings and that will also help in increasing length of stay of Indian tourists which on an average is just one day. “May be Prime Minister Modi can make an exception for us,” she quipped.
French president Emmanuel Macron will be the chief guest at the Republic day celebration on January 26 and both sides are expected to use the occasion to further cement their ties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief guest at the French national day last July.
Bilateral trade between India and France stood at $13.4 billion in FY23 and France was 11th largest foreign direct investor in India.
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