Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday held extensive talks in Jaipur to deepen bilateral ties, with discussions on advancing defence, security and business ties taking centre stage as the two countries, which launched their strategic partnership 25 years ago, narrow their focus on achieving new common goals during the next 25 years, officials aware of the matter said.
Macron will attend the 75th Republic Day celebrations as chief guest on Friday, the sixth time (the highest for any country) a French leader is participating in India’s biggest ceremonial event.
“#India @EmmanuelMacron & @steph_sejourne are in Jaipur today & will visit New Delhi tomorrow. On the agenda: Global affairs, Security & sovereignty, Ties between civil society in both countries,” the French ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs posted on X on Thursday.
The talks were expected to chart the course for finalising new initiatives in a raft of key areas, including defence, space, collaboration in the vast Indo-Pacific region where China is seeking to expand its footprint, industrial cooperation, promoting cross-investments and responding to challenges such as the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and poverty eradication, the officials said.
Read Here: PM Modi, French President Macron hold talks in Jaipur to elevate ties
Modi welcomed Macron to India and referred to the collaboration in a post on X.
“Welcome to India, my friend President @EmmanuelMacron. I am happy that President Macron begins his India visit from Jaipur in Rajasthan, a land with rich culture, heritage and talented people. It is a matter of great pride that he will be taking part in our Republic Day celebrations tomorrow, 26th January, in Delhi. His presence not only strengthens the ties between our nations but also adds a significant chapter to our shared history of friendship and collaboration.”
In another post, the PM said, “Visited Jantar Mantar in Jaipur with President @EmmanuelMacron. This UNESCO World Heritage Site stands as a testament to India’s rich heritage in astronomy. It also symbolises the blend of ancient wisdom and modern science, a shared value that both India and France appreciate.”
Macron’s visit seeks to consolidate the ambitious renewal of the India-France strategic partnership that the two leaders decided on in Paris on July 14 through the Horizon 2047 Roadmap whose three pillars are “partnership for security and sovereignty, partnership for the planet, and partnership for the people”. Modi was in France last July as the guest of honour at the Bastille Day parade.
Watch: PM Modi, French President Macron share cup of masala tea in Jaipur
Six Indian soldiers from the French Foreign Legion, an elite cadre consisting of foreign volunteers in the pay of France, will be a part of the 95-member French military contingent taking part in the parade. Two Rafale fighters and an Airbus A330 MRTT (multi-role tanker transport) of the French air force will take part in the flypast, which will involve 56 Indian military aircraft including 29 fighter jets. A 33-member band contingent from France will also take part in the parade.
Foreign soldiers took part in the parade for the first time in 2016 when a French army contingent of 130 soldiers marched down Rajpath (now Kartavya Path). Then French President Francois Hollande was the chief guest that year.
Macron’s visit comes at a time when India is looking at buying 26 Rafale M fighters from France for the navy’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, the 45,000-tonne INS Vikrant. The country is also planning to build three more Scorpene-class submarines with technology from France to enhance the Indian Navy’s undersea capabilities. The two deals are estimated to have a combined value of €9 billion to €10 billion.
Macron is being accompanied by a ministerial delegation consisting of Europe and foreign affairs minister Stéphane Sejourné, defence minister Sébastien Lecornu, and culture minister Rachida Dati, a C-level business delegation of French majors, small and medium enterprises and midcaps, and other eminent personalities including European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet.
Watch: PM Modi gifts replica of Ram Mandir to France’s Emmanuel Macron in Jaipur
“France and India have developed a trust-based cooperation aimed at strengthening strategic autonomy, illustrated by close cooperation in the defence sector, including advanced platforms and technologies. The two countries are also key partners in contributing to international peace and security, especially in the Indo-Pacific region, where we implement a joint strategy. They also have a long-standing cooperation of over 60 years on space spanning launchers, space exploration, crewed flights, climate monitoring satellites, and maritime surveillance,” the French embassy in Delhi said in a statement on Wednesday.
Macron’s visit also seeks to stress France’s commitment to creating more opportunities for Indian students, artists, investors and tourists.
“Special focus will be given to initiatives fostering student mobility, in support of President Macron’s announcement that France seeks to welcome 30,000 Indian students by 2030. Business ties and cross-investments will also be promoted during the visit, under the banner of France’s ‘Make it Iconic’ nation-branding campaign, which has targeted India as a priority country,” the statement said.
Read Here: How France’s Macron powers PM Modi’s ‘Viksit Bharat’ ambition
Apart from the parade, his engagements in Delhi on January 26 include an At Home reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and a state banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu. The French leader was earlier in India on a state visit in March 2018 followed by an official visit in September 2023 for the G20 Summit.
“A captivating journey through India’s history and heritage for our esteemed guest! President @EmmanuelMacron of France kickstarts his visit to India with a tour of Amber Fort in Jaipur. A @UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Fort stands as a symbol of India’s architectural prowess and rich cultural tapestry,” the ministry of external affairs posted on X on Thursday.
“President Macron’s visit is enormously symbolic as it comes soon after PM Modi visited France for the Bastille Day parade. It demonstrates two things: France’s unconditional commitment to the strategic partnership between the two countries and magnanimity on Macron’s part as it was a last-minute invitation to attend the Republic Day parade as chief guest,” Mohan Kumar, a former Indian ambassador to France, said on Wednesday.
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