New Delhi: French President Emmanuel Macron is on a two-day state go to to India, the place he would be the chief visitor on the 75th Republic Day celebrations on January 26. He arrived in Jaipur on Thursday and was greeted by Exterior Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.
The Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) tweeted, “Bienvenue en Inde! President @EmmanuelMacron of France warmly welcomed by Governor @KalrajMishra of Rajasthan, EAM @DrSJaishankar & CM @BhajanlalBjp of Rajasthan as he arrived within the historic metropolis of Jaipur. President Macron is the Chief Visitor on the 75th Republic Day celebrations.”
Bienvenue en Inde!
President @EmmanuelMacron of France warmly welcomed by Governor @KalrajMishra of Rajasthan, EAM @DrSJaishankar & CM @BhajanlalBjp of Rajasthan as he arrived within the historic metropolis of Jaipur.
President Macron is the Chief Visitor on the 75th Republic Day… pic.twitter.com/voJ6v6KKGl
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) January 25, 2024
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited the French chief to be the chief visitor on the Republic Day parade, which marks the fruits of the 25th-anniversary celebrations of the India-France Strategic Partnership. The partnership, which covers numerous domains corresponding to defence, safety, house, civil nuclear, local weather change and tradition, was launched in 1998.
The pink metropolis of Jaipur has been adorned with posters of Prime Minister Modi and President Macron, reflecting the nice and cozy and cordial relations between the 2 international locations. Macron started his go to by exploring the Amber Fort, the place he interacted with artisans, stakeholders in Indo-French cultural initiatives, in addition to college students. He was then acquired by Prime Minister Modi, and the 2 leaders visited among the iconic landmarks of town, corresponding to Jantar Mantar and Hawa Mahal.
Within the night, the 2 leaders held a bilateral assembly on the Taj Rambagh Palace, the place they mentioned methods to reinforce cooperation in numerous fields and exchanged views on regional and world problems with mutual curiosity. In addition they witnessed the signing of a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between the 2 international locations.
On January 26, President Macron will attend the Republic Day parade because the chief visitor, the place he’ll witness the show of India’s navy and cultural prowess, together with a French armed forces contingent that’s taking part within the parade and flypast alongside Indian troops and aviators. He can even attend the At House reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan and the State Banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu.
President Macron is accompanied by a high-level delegation, together with ministers Stephane Sejourne (Europe and International Affairs), Sebastien Lecornu (Armed Forces), and Rachida Dati (tradition); a C-level enterprise delegation of French majors, SMEs and mid-caps; and different eminent personalities, corresponding to ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet.
That is the sixth time that France has been the chief visitor at India’s Republic Day, the best of every other nation. President Macron’s go to will additional strengthen the strategic partnership between the 2 international locations, which was reaffirmed by the 2 leaders in Paris on July 14, 2023, via the “Horizon 2047 Roadmap”.
