New Delhi: French President Emmanuel Macron will be accompanied by a high-profile ministerial and business delegation, including eminent personalities like astronaut Thomas Pesquet, during his visit to India to attend the Republic Day parade as chief guest.
Macron arrives Thursday on a two-day state visit. Stéphane Sejourné (Europe and Foreign Affairs), Sébastien Lecornu (Armed Forces), and Rachida Dati (Culture) will be part of the ministerial delegation, according to a statement from the French embassy.
The business delegation will include French majors, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and mid-cap companies.
The French president will first land in Jaipur, where he will tour Amber Fort in the Pink City and interact with artisans, stakeholders of Indo-French cultural projects, and students. Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will then visit some major landmarks, including Jantar Mantar, together.
As ThePrint reported earlier, a joint roadshow may be on the cards.
In Delhi on 26 January — Friday — Macron will attend the Republic Day parade, then a reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan and, later, the State Banquet at the invitation of President Droupadi Murmu.
The two leaders are expected to hold in-depth bilateral talks in Delhi where security, climate change, and mobility of Indians are likely to be the focus.
One of the issues that will be brought up by the French side is the notice sent to a French journalist by the Ministry of Home Affairs over allegations of “malicious reporting”. As ThePrint reported earlier, the journalist has been given time till 2 February to respond to the notice that threatens to cancel her Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card for her “biased reporting” and severe visa violations.
President Macron has previously been in India on a state visit in March 2018 and on an official visit last September for the G20 Summit in Delhi.
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‘Unprecedented’
A statement from the French embassy has described the upcoming visit as “unprecedented” and one that shows the “deep mutual trust and unwavering friendship underpinning Indo-French ties”.
Within the ambit of security, the two countries will discuss maritime surveillance, space exploration, crewed flights, climate monitoring satellites, and maritime surveillance during the bilateral talks, the statement said.
They will seek to strengthen strategic autonomy, “illustrated by close cooperation in the defence sector, including advanced platforms and technologies”, it said, adding that peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region will also feature prominently during talks
Climate change will also be key given the two countries have engaged in many joint initiatives, such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA) headquartered in New Delhi, the statement said.
On mobility, France plans to discuss more opportunities for Indian students, artists, investors, and tourists, it said, adding that cross-investments between Indian and French businesses will also covered during the discussions.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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