India is the guest of honor at the traditional military parade on the occasion of the French National Day in Paris
Posted on: July 14, 2023: 11:58 AM GST Last updated: July 14, 2023: 06:06 PM GST
On Friday, France celebrated its national day, corresponding to July 14, when the Indian Prime Minister was the guest of honor at the traditional military parade organized on this occasion in Paris.
This year’s celebrations came amid tight security measures against the background of the riots that took place in the country at the end of June, following the killing of a boy, Nael, by a policeman’s bullet during a traffic check.
This year’s festivities included 6,500 participants, including 5,100 on foot.
More than 60 aircraft, including foreign aircraft, 28 helicopters, 157 vehicles and 62 motorcycles, accompanied by 200 horses from the Republican Guard, participated in the parade on the Champs-Elysées.
Macron, French First Lady and Modi
The parade was inaugurated by 240 members of the Indian armed forces, and the air show included three Indian Rafale planes, as announced by the Elysee Palace.
Six partner African military colleges (Benin, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Madagascar, the Urgent Coast and Senegal) also participated in the parade. Veterans of French military institutes also participated in the parade.
Modi’s presence dominated the ceremony
And the opponents of Macron’s policy, members of the “yellow vests”, took advantage of the occasion, to boo, while Macron was riding his car during the military parade on the Champs-Elysées in the Bastille Day parade.
A fireworks display will be held from the Eiffel Tower in the capital on Friday evening, as is customary. A symphony concert will also be held in the Champs-de-Mars park, performed by the French National Orchestra, and centered on the theme of brotherhood.
French President Macron receives the Indian Prime Minister (Reuters)
“strategic partnership”
And Modi’s visit will be an occasion to discuss ways to buy 26 new Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation, as well as three submarines, a deal that New Delhi gave its approval in principle on Thursday.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (2R) and France’s Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne (R) walk past French Republican Guards at the Orly airport in Orly, Paris’ suburb, on July 13, 2023. (AFP)
Paris and New Delhi celebrate this year the 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership, which France aspires to strengthen in order to have weight in the Asia-Pacific region, although India faces accusations from non-governmental organizations of adopting an authoritarian tendency.
“India will play an important role for our future,” Macron said Thursday evening in a speech to the armies. “It is also a strategic partner and a friendly country.”
The parade was already opened by 240 members of the Indian armed forces, and the air show included three Indian Rafale planes, as announced by the Elysee Palace.
“security reinforcements”
The French government deployed reinforcements in an attempt to contain the traditional events that take place during the celebrations, as it mobilized from Thursday evening until Saturday evening about 45 thousand policemen, gendarmes, elite units and armored vehicles.
In Paris, about ten thousand policemen and gendarmes were deployed in the capital and the surrounding districts.
And the French President announced Thursday evening that in 2024, the year of the Summer Olympics in France, the parade will be exceptional.
“strategic solidarity”
And while war has returned to Europe since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, one of the aims of this parade will be to “remind France’s adherence to” strategic solidarity with its allies,” according to what the military governor of Paris, General Christophe Abad, said.
Twelve countries that helped France during a decade of military deployment in the Sahel were highlighted: Canada and the Europeans.
Also, 6 partner African military colleges (Benin, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Madagascar, Ivory Coast and Senegal) participated in the parade with veterans of French military institutes.
To embody the French military aid to Ukraine, Caesar guns and AMX10-RC armored vehicles, of the type delivered to Kiev, were shown.
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2023-07-14 14:06:23
