CURRENT AFFAIRS | 13 JUNE 2026
Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins a high-stakes European itinerary, opening with an official visit to France (June 13-14, Nice) for a bilateral with President Emmanuel Macron. In Nice the two leaders jointly inaugurate “Bharat Innovates”, a showcase for Indian startups and venture capital, underscoring how deep the India-France relationship now runs.
From France, Modi travels to the G7 Summit at Evian (June 16-17) as an invited partner, not a member, marking India’s 13th consecutive participation since 2019. He then heads to Paris on June 18 for the VivaTech technology summit. India-France ties were elevated earlier in 2026 to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership”.
The partnership rests on three pillars: defence (Rafale jets and Scorpene-class submarines), civil nuclear cooperation (including small modular reactors), and space (the ISRO-CNES TRISHNA earth-observation mission). Both nations are also key backers of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
Constitutional / Legal Framework
Foreign affairs fall within the Union List, and the power to conclude treaties and agreements flows from Article 73 (executive power of the Union) read with Article 246 and entries on diplomatic and treaty relations. The G7 is an informal grouping of seven advanced economies (US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada) with no binding charter, India participates by invitation. India’s posture of strategic autonomy and multi-alignment shapes how it engages such plurilateral platforms.
CLAT Angle
International relations questions on CLAT routinely test the composition of the G7 and India’s status as an invitee (not a member). Expect tie-ins to IMEC, India-France defence deals (Rafale, Scorpene), and the concept of strategic autonomy / multi-alignment. The Nice-Evian-Paris sequence is easy to convert into a match-the-following question.
Key Facts
| Bilateral | Nice, June 13-14 (with Macron) |
| G7 Summit | Evian, June 16-17 (India invited) |
| Tech summit | VivaTech, Paris, June 18 |
| Partnership level | Special Global Strategic Partnership |
| Pillars | Defence, civil nuclear, space (TRISHNA) |
| G7 streak | 13th consecutive participation since 2019 |
Mnemonic / Memory Hook
“NICE to meet at EVIAN, then VIVA Paris.” NICE = bilateral with Macron; EVIAN = G7 (India invited, not a member); VIVA(Tech) = Paris tech summit. For the three pillars, recall “D-N-S”: Defence, Nuclear, Space.
Why this matters for CLAT 2027: India-France ties and the G7 are perennial IR favourites, and the “invitee not member” distinction is a classic trap. Master the G7 composition, IMEC, and India’s strategic-autonomy framing to ace CLAT 2027 GK passages on global diplomacy.
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
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