India invites Macron as 2024 Republic Day chief guest: Report
The Indian government has reportedly invited French President Emmanuel Macron to be the chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi on January 26, 2024. India had previously invited United States (US) President Joe Biden to be the chief guest for the Republic Day parade, per reports. However, the US president allegedly expressed his inability to visit New Delhi next month.
Why does this story matter?
It is worth recalling that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited France and attended the Bastille Day (French National Day) celebrations in July as the guest of honor. Bastille Day holds an important place in French history as it marks the storming of the Bastille prison during the 1789 French Revolution. Later, Macron visited New Delhi in September for the G20 Summit hosted by India.
Macron to become 6th French leader to attend R-Day parade
If he accepts India's invitation, Macron will become the sixth French leader to attend the Republic Day parade in new Delhi as the chief guest. Former French presidents like Valery Giscard d'Estaing, Nicolas Sarkozy, and François Hollande participated in the celebrations during 1980, 2008, and 2016, respectively. Former French PM Jacques Chirac also took part in the event on two occasions, in 1976 and 1998.
Modi became first Indian PM to receive France's highest honor
During PM Modi's July visit to Paris, the French president conferred him with the highly prestigious Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. It is the highest award in military or civilian orders in the country. PM Modi became the first prime minister of India to receive the prestigious honor. Notably, the honor was established in 1802 by the iconic French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.
India's Republic Day chief guest for 2023
Every year, India invites a top foreign leader to witness its Republic Day celebrations as a chief guest. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no chief guest was invited for the Republic Day parades in 2021 and 2022. Earlier this year, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi also visited India as the chief guest to attend the Republic Day celebrations.
