Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said India-France relations have reached “new heights”, highlighting the expanding strategic partnership between the two countries and their longstanding cultural connections.

Addressing the inauguration of the BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir in Paris virtually, PM Modi said India and France are moving ahead with new momentum across several areas, including technology, artificial intelligence, defence, space and climate action.

He said the India-France strategic partnership is particularly significant because it is built on longstanding cultural and political ties.

PM Modi highlights India-France strategic partnership

PM Modi said India and France are building a Special Global Strategic Partnership with French President Emmanuel Macron.

He also noted that 2026 is being celebrated as the India-France Year of Innovation, underlining the importance of innovation and cooperation between the two countries.

The prime minister said there is also growing discussion around joint venture possibilities between India and France.

He linked the relationship between the two nations not only to contemporary strategic cooperation but also to historical and cultural connections.

Paris temple seen as symbol of cultural ties

PM Modi described the newly inaugurated Swaminarayan temple in Paris as another milestone in India’s cultural relationship with France.

He said the temple is “Made in India” and “Built in France”, noting that several of its stones were carved in India before being incorporated with modern engineering in France.

According to PM Modi, the temple could become a symbol of cooperation and opportunity between the two countries and help strengthen cultural ties across Europe.

He said the values associated with Indian culture could reach people across Europe through the temple.

PM Modi recalls historical India-France connections

The prime minister also referred to the contribution of Indian soldiers in France and said their sacrifices remain remembered.

He highlighted the role of French scholars in popularising Sanskrit and referred to French writer Romain Rolland’s writings on Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda.

PM Modi also mentioned the spiritual journey of ‘The Mother’ from Paris to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Puducherry, as well as Srila Prabhupada Swami’s visit to France and the subsequent development of spiritual connections through ISKCON.

He said yoga has also emerged as an important bridge between people in India and France, pointing to its popularity in France.

Temple to support service activities

PM Modi said Swaminarayan temples have traditionally served as centres of service alongside devotion.

He said he had been informed that the newly inaugurated Paris temple would also become a centre for service projects.

The prime minister expressed confidence that the temple would enrich France’s diversity while giving further momentum to cultural relations between India and France.

PM Modi also said he would try to visit the temple in the future whenever his schedule permits.

A building collapse in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area near Delhi University’s South Campus has renewed concerns over the safety of accommodation used by students. The building had reportedly been vacated nearly a year ago, but PG accommodation resumed at the property around two to three months before the collapse.

The incident has prompted questions about how the property was occupied again and whether adequate structural and safety checks were carried out before people were allowed to stay there. Delhi Police is registering a case in connection with the collapse and is looking for the property’s owner, identified as Anand Bansal.

Building had been vacated earlier

According to the information reported so far, the building in Satya Niketan had been vacated about a year before the collapse. However, PG accommodation reportedly restarted at the property two to three months ago.

The development has raised questions about the process through which the building was allowed to be occupied again and whether the necessary structural safety checks were conducted.

The Delhi Police has initiated action in connection with the incident and is looking for the property owner. Rescue and relief operations were launched after several people were feared trapped beneath the debris. Teams from the NDRF and Delhi Police reached the location following the collapse.

Student accommodation safety comes into focus

Satya Niketan and surrounding areas are home to a large number of Delhi University students. With university hostels offering limited accommodation, many students depend on private paying guest facilities or rented properties.

The cost and availability of such accommodation can be a significant concern for students, while the collapse has now brought the question of safety standards in private student housing back into focus.

The incident has also raised broader questions about the checks carried out on buildings being used as PG accommodation, particularly when a property has previously been vacated.

Student groups join rescue operations

Student organisations reached the site soon after news of the collapse emerged.

DUSU President Aryan Maan visited the location and took stock of the situation. He also spoke with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and the Delhi Police Commissioner over the phone regarding the incident and rescue operation.

ABVP National General Secretary Virendra Solanki also reached the site with other workers. ABVP members assisted the NDRF and Delhi Police during the rescue operation.

The organisation also had representatives at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and AIIMS to assist those affected by the incident. ABVP had separately organised a protest outside the MCD office and demanded the resignation of the MCD Commissioner.

NSUI stages protest over safety concerns

NSUI President Vinod Jakhar also visited the site and questioned the government over alleged lapses in safety standards.

NSUI workers staged a protest at the location but were later removed by police. Members of the organisation also participated in rescue-related efforts, while Jakhar visited AIIMS to meet injured people.

The organisation’s election in-charge Akhilesh Yadav also questioned the government over the incident while stating that NSUI workers were working to assist those affected.

Satya Niketan collapse becomes DUSU election issue

The building collapse has occurred ahead of the Delhi University Students’ Union elections, adding another issue to the political contest between ABVP and NSUI.

Both student organisations have also released helpline numbers through their social media platforms and asked their workers to remain deployed at hospitals to assist students and families.

The Satya Niketan incident has therefore put two issues in focus: the safety and affordability of private accommodation for Delhi University students and accountability over buildings being used for such accommodation.

With DUSU elections approaching, student safety and housing conditions are also expected to remain part of the political discussion on the campus.

Three people have died and two others are critically injured after a six-storey building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan on Sunday afternoon. Several more people are feared trapped under the debris as rescue operations continue at the site.

Nine people have been rescued so far, while authorities are searching for others who may still be trapped. The building, which was being used as a 75-bed paying guest accommodation, collapsed at around 1:30 pm, according to officials.

Building was being used as a PG accommodation

According to police, the building was around 40 to 50 years old and consisted of a basement and five upper floors. It was being used as a paying guest accommodation, with repair work reportedly underway in the basement when the collapse occurred.

The building was located in Satya Niketan, near Delhi University’s South Campus, an area with a large student population.

An eyewitness said at least 50 students were believed to have been inside the building when it collapsed. A student at the scene also reported hearing cries for help from beneath the rubble.

Rescue operation underway

Teams from the Delhi Police, National Disaster Response Force, Delhi Fire Service and Delhi Disaster Management Authority have been deployed for the rescue operation.

At least 12 fire tenders have been sent to the spot. An excavator has also been deployed, while additional machinery is being brought in to remove concrete slabs and girders from the debris.

Locals were also seen helping with the initial search before rescue teams and machinery reached the site.

The adjacent building has been vacated as a precautionary measure, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said. She added that rescue work was being carried out on a war footing and that authorities were coordinating efforts to assist those affected.

Government agencies coordinate rescue efforts

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu said concerned agencies, including the Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service and DDMA, had been directed to work together to ensure swift rescue operations.

Local BJP MLA Anil Sharma, who was at the site, said some students were still believed to be trapped and that some were reportedly making calls from inside the collapsed structure.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj blamed alleged corruption for the incident and raised questions about building safety and inspections. His comments were political allegations and no official cause for the collapse has been established in the report.