Toulouse: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday received a boost to his ‘Make in India’ initiative when aircraft manufacturer Airbus disclosed plans to raise its Indian outsourcing to $2 billion and its keenness to manufacture in India.
On day two his France visit, he became the first Prime Minister to visit the World War I memorial in the northern city of Lille to pay homage to 10,000 Indian soldiers who died fighting Germany alongside France in the war between 1914-18. Laying a wreath at the martyr’s memorial, the Prime Minister spent about 50 minutes as several Indians gathered raised Vande Matram slogans.
Accompanied by French foreign minister Laurent Fabius, Mr Modi arrived here in Air India One and went straight to the facility of Airbus, one of the two major global manufacturers of aircraft and too a tour of the plant.
“We are honoured to host Prime Minister Modi in Toulouse and convey to him our desire to forge a stronger industrial bond with India. India already takes a centre-stage role in our international activities and we want to even increase its contribution to our products,” said Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders, who received the Indian leader.
“We support Modi’s ‘Make in India’ call and (we) are ready to manufacture in India, for India and the world,” he added.
MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin tweeted, “500 per cent increase in 5 years. @Airbus to PM @narendramodi: Indian outsourcing to increase from $400 mil to $ 2 billion.”
