French President Emmanuel Macron will be the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26, marking the sixth time a French leader will participate in this prestigious annual event.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has announced that President Macron's visit is in response to an invitation extended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite India's initial invitation to US President Joe Biden, he reportedly expressed his inability to attend due to reasons such as the State of the Union address, focus on re-election, and Washington's heightened attention on the Hamas-Israel conflict.
In a statement, the MEA highlighted the strong strategic partnership between India and France, emphasizing the celebration of the 25th anniversary of their collaboration. Prime Minister Modi previously attended the Bastille Day Parade in Paris, and President Macron visited India for the G-20 Summit, indicating a flourishing relationship in defense, security, clean energy, trade, investment, and technology.
This year, the defense ministry approved the acquisition of 26 Rafale (marine) jets from France, a significant development for deployment on the indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. The two countries are also deepening their cooperation in the maritime domain, particularly in the Indian Ocean Region.
India and France affirmed their commitment to collaborating on the co-development and co-production of advanced defense technologies, extending the benefits to third countries. The invitation to President Macron aligns with the positive trajectory of bilateral ties.
It's worth noting that Republic Day celebrations witness the participation of world leaders. In 2021 and 2022, no chief guest attended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was the chief guest this year, and in 2020, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro held the position.
In 2019, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was the chief guest, while leaders of all 10 ASEAN countries graced the celebrations in 2018. Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended in 2017, and in 2016, then French President Francois Hollande was the chief guest.
Previous notable attendees include Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2014, Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in 2013, and various heads of state and government such as Nicolas Sarkozy, Vladimir Putin, Nelson Mandela, John Major, Mohammed Khatami, and Jacques Chirac in different years. The Republic Day celebrations have seen a diverse array of global leaders over the years.
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