Jaipur roadshow, defense announcements: Highlights of Macron's India visit
French President Emmanuel Macron's upcoming visit to India may feature a roadshow in Jaipur with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and significant defense-related announcements, reports said. India has invited Macron to be the chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations on January 26. New Delhi reserves this honor for nations with which it shares close bilateral ties.
Macron 6th French leader to attend R-Day parade
France holds a unique distinction as the only country to have received the highest number of invitations to India's Republic Day parade. Former French presidents Francois Hollande, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Valery Giscard d'Estaing participated in the celebrations in 2016, 2008, and 1980, respectively. Former French PM Jacques Chirac also participated in the event twice, in 1998 and 1976.
French Rafale jets to feature in next week's R-Day celebrations
Defense has been a pivotal aspect of Indo-French relations. France's Rafale jets and a contingent from the French Army will be taking part in the Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path next week. To recall, PM Modi was the guest of honour at the Bastille Day Parade in Paris last year. Indian Air Force's Rafale fighters from Hashimara 101 Squadron featured in the flypast during the Bastille Day Parade.
France and India's growing strategic partnership in defense
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Indo-French strategic partnership, which has experienced significant growth lately. Paris has become one of New Delhi's top defense partners, with the focus being on "Make in India" initiative. During Modi's recent Paris visit, a 25-year roadmap was unveiled which highlighted key initiatives in the bilateral defense partnership. This included French assistance in building the "Shakti Engine," joint exploration for Indian submarine fleet development, and joint efforts in the Indo-Pacific region.
2023 Republic Day celebrations
Each year, New Delhi invites a top foreign leader to participate as the chief guest in its Republic Day celebrations. However, no chief guest was invited for the 2021 and 2022 Republic Day parades due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the 2023 celebrations, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi visited India as the chief guest to attend the Republic Day parade.
