New Delhi: French President Emmanuel Macron is all set to arrive in India on Thursday, 25th January. He will begin his trip by visiting Jaipur first tomorrow, where he is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
President Macron will tour Amber Fort and interact with artisans, stakeholders of Indo-French cultural projects, as well as students in Jaipur. The two leaders will visit a few landmarks of the 'Pink city' together, including Jantar Mantar, a statement said.
He will be on a 'State visit' to India from 25th to 26th January, as the Chief Guest of India's 75th Republic Day celebrations at the invitation of PM Narendra Modi. On this occasion, a French Armed Forces contingent will participate in the Republic Day parade and flypast alongside India's troops and aviators.
In New Delhi on 26th January, President Macron will attend the Republic Day parade as Chief Guest. He will attend the 'At Home' reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and, later, the State Banquet, at the invitation of the President Droupadi Murmu.
President Macron will be accompanied, among others, by a ministerial delegation comprising Stéphane Sejourné (Europe and Foreign Affairs), Sébastien Lecornu (Armed Forces), and Rachida Dati (Culture); a C-level business delegation of French majors, SMEs, and mid-caps; and other eminent personalities, including ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet.
This visit marks France's sixth participation as chief guest of India's Republic Day, the highest of any other nation. It also comes just months after Prime Minister Modi's Paris trip on France's Bastille Day on July 14, 2023.
President Macron’s visit will consolidate the ambitious renewal of the France-India strategic partnership that the two leaders decided on in Paris on July 14 through the "Horizon 2047 Roadmap".
Twenty-five years after the launch of their Strategic Partnership, France and India have embarked on new common goals for the next 25 years. Accordingly, President Macron’s talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek to advance cooperation and finalise new initiatives under the three pillars of the Roadmap - Partnership for security and sovereignty: France and India have developed trust-based cooperation aimed at strengthening strategic autonomy, illustrated by close cooperation in the defense 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 both nations implement a joint strategy. They also have a long-standing, exemplary cooperation of over 60 years in space, spanning launchers, space exploration, crewed flights, climate monitoring satellites, and maritime surveillance.
Partnership for the planet: This visit will seek to advance common initiatives to respond to the key challenges of the times, including climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty eradication, and the changes wrought by new technologies. This cooperation is in line with the spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' and builds on the successful results of India’s G20 Presidency and the 'Paris Pact for People and the Planet'. It is exemplified by joint initiatives, such as the International Solar Alliance.
Partnership for the people: President Macron's visit will 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.
President Macron has previously been in India on a State visit in March 2018 and on an official visit in September 2023 for the Delhi G20 Summit. He has welcomed Prime Minister Modi in France on four occasions.
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