NEW DELHI: In a major diplomatic transfer, the Government of India (GoI) has formally invited French President Emmanuel Macron to grace the 2024 Republic Day celebrations because the Chief Guest. This notable gesture underscores the rising camaraderie and belief between the 2 nations, marking the sixth event {that a} French chief has been accorded this prestigious function on the Kartavya Path on January 26.
A Symbolic Bond: Strengthening Ties
The Republic Day celebrations maintain explicit significance as they commemorate the second in 1950 when India formally adopted its Constitution, marking the nation’s transition to a republic. The invitation to President Macron symbolizes the enduring and deepening ties between India and France.
PM Modi’s G20 Summit Diplomacy: From G20 To Republic Day
During the G20 Summit held in New Delhi in 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had initially prolonged an invite to President Joe Biden to be the Chief Guest on the 2024 Republic Day festivities. However, the anticipated go to by the US President didn’t materialize, with no particular causes offered by the American aspect.
Bastille Day Bond: PM Modi-Macron Meeting
The invitation to President Macron follows a latest assembly between him and Prime Minister Modi throughout the Bastille Day celebrations in France. PM Modi, because the Guest of Honour, participated within the occasion, commemorating the twenty fifth anniversary of the strategic partnership between the 2 nations. A tri-service Indian armed forces contingent, led by the Punjab Regiment, marked the event with a patriotic march.
Strategic Partnership: Shared Values And Commitments
The strategic partnership between India and France, spanning 25 years, was celebrated throughout PM Modi’s go to to France. A squadron of Indian Air Force Rafale fighters, symbolizing the shut protection cooperation, participated in a flypast over the Champs-Elysees throughout the Bastille Day Parade.
Democracy And Shared Values: Significance Of Bastille Day
July 14, celebrated as Bastille Day, holds particular significance because it marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille jail throughout the French Revolution. This historic occasion symbolizes the democratic values of ‘Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity,’ echoing the ideas enshrined in each the Indian and French constitutions.
Macron’s India Visit
President Macron’s go to to India in September, throughout the G20 Summit hosted by India, additional solidified the bilateral relationship. A productive bilateral assembly between Macron and PM Modi highlighted their dedication to elevating India-France relations to new heights.
Defence Cooperation: Shared Vision For The Future
The leaders reaffirmed their dedication to strengthening protection cooperation, emphasizing partnership within the design and growth of manufacturing in India. They referred to as for the early finalization of the Defence Industrial Roadmap, showcasing a shared imaginative and prescient for the longer term.
Historic Legacy: Macron Joins Distinguished Predecessors
President Macron joins a distinguished listing of French leaders who’ve been Chief Guests at India’s Republic Day celebrations. Notable predecessors embody former French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac and former Presidents Valery Giscard d’Estaing, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Francois Hollande.
India and France’s collaboration extends throughout numerous sectors, encompassing protection, house, civil nuclear, commerce, funding, schooling, tradition, and people-to-people ties. This multifaceted partnership displays the depth and breadth of the connection between the 2 nations.
