French President Emmanuel Macron was in New Delhi to join India's 75th Republic Day celebrations. The event at Kartavya Path included Indian President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, among others.
Macron, along with Union Cabinet members, foreign diplomats, and other dignitaries, participated in the festivities, marked by a grand military parade and cultural performances.
Before the ceremony, Macron expressed his Republic Day wishes on social media, stating he was proud to be part of the celebrations. He later shared a video on a social media platform, thanking India for the honor.
During the celebrations, Macron and Droupadi Murmu rode in a special presidential carriage escorted by the President’s Bodyguard to Kartavya Path.
Macron's visit to Jaipur included a welcome by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and a grand roadshow with Prime Minister Modi. Macron also toured iconic sites like Amber Fort, Jantar Mantar, and Hawa Mahal, expected to boost tourism.
Modi and Macron discussed strengthening India-France strategic cooperation in defense, security, trade, and clean energy. The talks occurred at a 19th-century palace after a roadshow from Jantar Mantar to Hawa Mahal.
This marks the sixth time a French leader has participated in India's Republic Day, with the tradition starting in 1976 with President Jacques Chirac. Other French leaders who joined include Valery Giscard d’Estaing in 1980, Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008, and Francois Hollande in 2016.
