New Delhi: French President Emmanuel Macron will be chief guest at India’s Republic Day parade next month, yet another step in the partnership between the two countries that has deepened over the last few years.
Government sources told ThePrint that an invitation has been extended to the French President and an announcement will be made once a formal acceptance is received.
The development came even as the earlier plan of having the Quad leaders at the Republic Day parade failed due to scheduling issues.
The four nations part of the Quad are Australia, India, Japan and the US.
The idea was to have the Quad Leaders’ Summit around Republic Day since India is to be the host next year.
Invites had been sent out to US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to be chief guests at India’s Republic Day parade on 26 January. An invitation was not sent to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese because the country celebrates its National Day on 26 January as well.
Sources said that even though the American ambassador to India had announced in September that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited Biden though it was yet to be formally accepted, there were scheduling issues.
This has resulted in the Quad Summit being postponed as well.
Sources said that Biden is focussed on his re-election bid next year.
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Indo-French ties
Speaking on Indo-French ties, sources said that France has remained as a steadfast partner to India over the years.
Former French President Francois Hollande was chief guest at the 2016 Republic Day parade.
Interestingly, Modi was chief guest at the Bastille Day (national day of France) celebrations and parade this year.
As reported by ThePrint, the French this week submitted bids for the Indian Navy’s plans to procure 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets for its aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
The French have also submitted bids for the procurement of three additional Scorpene submarines which are being built in India with the help of its firm Naval Group.
Sources pointed out that France was a western nation which did not impose any sanctions on India after the Pokhran II nuclear tests, unlike others.
India and France have also seen a close partnership at global forums including the United Nations. France has been tacitly supporting India and has even agreed not to sell any arms to India’s arch rival Pakistan.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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