PM Modi, President Hollande to have 'Naav Pe Charcha'

It will be a unique 'Naav Pe Charcha' (chat on boat) when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande have a cruise on Friday on the La Seine river that flows through Paris.

The two leaders will have the boat ride after their detailed discussions which will focus on cooperation in the areas of civil nuclear energy, defence, space and trade.

Modi is visiting France in the first leg of his nine-day three-nation tour that will take him to Germany and Canada also.

It will be the first time that Modi will have 'Naav Pe Charcha' with any world leader.

Earlier, Modi has had 'Chai Pe Charca' (chat over tea) with some world leaders, including US President Barack Obama during his visit to New Delhi in January and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during his visit to that country last year.

The concept of 'Chai Pe Charcha' came to be known during Modi's campaign for Lok Sabha polls last year. During that, he used 'Chai Pe Charcha' as an election plank.  

Image: A view of the Seine River in Paris, France. Photograph: Charles Platiau/ Reuters