PM Modi departs for India after four-nation tour

Paris [India], June 3 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday departed for India from Orly Airport in Paris after concluding his four-nation tour of Germany, Spain, Russia and France. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Goodbye Paris! After an intensive week of diplomacy PM emplanes for Delhi <a href="https://t.co/7dwrjkiHu6">pic.twitter.com/7dwrjkiHu6</a></p>&mdash; Gopal Baglay (@MEAIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/871001440071712770">June 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Before the departure, the Prime Minister on Saturday met newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron at Elysee Palace in Paris and discussed issues of international and mutual interests, including ways to enhance strategic ties, countering terrorism and climate change. Earlier in the day, India and France pledged to fight climate change and terrorism jointly as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed them as two big threats to humanity. The Prime Minister also exhorted the world to fight these menaces unitedly. "Terrorism is visible and affects the entire world, including France and India. The world needs to be united to defeat it," PM Modi said in a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron at Elysee Palace in Paris. Terming the Paris Agreement as "article of faith" and a "shared legacy of the world", the prime minister said, "We must leave legacy of clean environment for generations to come. It will benefit the future generations as well as us. This (Paris Agreement) is an article of faith" Macron also acknowledged that the menace of "terrorism has been striking India and France in different ways" and added that both the nations have pledged to work in defence cooperation, maritime security and intelligence. "France will stand by India in matters of terrorism," said Macron. The French President also said that France is committed to fight against the climate change. He asserted that Paris is working on an action plan, both within and outside the climate deal framework. "France is really committed to fight climate change not only within the framework of the Paris Accord but also out of its purview," he said. "We both (PM Modi and French President) are convinced that our countries can do a lot in tackling the climate change," added Macron. He further said that he will be travelling to India at end of this year to convene a meeting with the members of the International Solar Alliance. Prime Minister Modi, who earlier arrived in Paris for the final leg of his six-day, four-nation tour of Europe, also paid homage at Arc de Triomphe in Paris. (ANI)