Following a brief tour in the Pink City's cultural neighbourhoods on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron relaxed with a cup of tea at a shop in front of the Hawa Mahal. While sipping chai, PM Modi demonstrated to President Macron how digital payment has become ubiquitous in India by scanning the QR code and making a symbolic payment of Rs 2 to the business owner, news agency ANI reported.
PM Modi informed Macron that visitors who come here employ digital payment methods. Modi has hailed India's digital transformation on global forums multiple times in his efforts to position the country as a pioneer of the cashless economy.
Notably, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) integrates several bank accounts into a single mobile application (from any participating bank), combining many banking services, smooth fund routing, and merchant payments under one umbrella. It allows customers to transfer money from their mobile devices at any moment.
The French President is currently on a two-day visit to India. He will be the chief guest at 75th Republic Day ceremonies on the Kartavya Path, a ceremonial promenade in the centre of the national capital. Macron's state visit is France's sixth, the most of any other country, as the chief guest on India's Republic Day.
PM Modi and Macron earlier staged a massive roadshow from Jaipur's Jantar Mantar. Before the roadshow, the two leaders met at the Jantar Mantar observatory and embraced.
After arrival at Jaipur International Airport, Macron visited Amber Fort, one of the city's prime tourist sites located on a hill. He also greeted the students who had assembled to welcome him.