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French President Emmanuel Macron will kick-start his two-day visit to India in Jaipur on Thursday i.e. January 25. He will begin his state visit by touring Amber Fort, the iconic Hawa Mahal and astronomical observation site of Jantar Mantar. The French president will be received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and both leaders will tour the pink city together.
French President Macron will “tour Amber Fort and interact with artisans, stakeholders in Indo-French cultural projects, as well as students. Thereafter, he will be received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the two leaders will visit a few landmarks of the Pink City together, including Jantar Mantar,” an official statement said.
Macron will be the chief guest at the 75th Republic Day celebrations on January 26 in the national capital Delhi at the invitation of PM Modi. He would be the sixth leader from France to grace the prestigious annual extravaganza. It is also important to note that a French armed forces contingent will participate in the Republic Day parade and flypast alongside India’s troops and aviators.
During his nearly six-hour stay in Jaipur, the French president will join PM Modi in a road show before the two leaders hold wide-ranging talks at the luxury hotel Taj Rambagh Palace on all key aspects of bilateral India-France ties and various geopolitical upheavals.
Macron-Modi’s roadshow is scheduled to start at the Jantar Mantar area at 6 pm while both the leaders are set to begin their talks at 7:15 pm.
The French president‘s aircraft will depart for Delhi at around 8:50 pm, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said in a statement.
“He will attend the At Home reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan and, later, the State Banquet, at the invitation of the Hon’ble President of India, H.E. Smt Droupadi Murmu,” the statement stated.
Notably, the French president 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. Macron’s state visit marks France’s sixth participation as chief guest on India’s Republic Day, the highest of any other nation.
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”.
Both the leaders are set to focus on a wide-range of talks including defence, trade, clean energy, youth exchanges, and easing of visa norms for Indian students, people familiar with the matter said.
It is expected that India’s proposed procurement of 26 Rafale-M (marine version) fighter jets and three Scorpene submarines would also figure in the talks.
The negotiations for the procurement of the Rafale-M jets and three Scorpene submarines are moving forward “positively”, the sources said.
It is not immediately clear whether there will be an announcement on the sealing of the two multi-billion dollar deals.
Both leaders are also expected to deliberate on expanding maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, the situation in the Red Sea, Hamas-Israel conflict and the war in Ukraine.
“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,” the statement said.
President Macron’s visit will stress France’s commitment to creating more opportunities for Indian students, artists, investors and tourists.
Moreover, “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,” the statement added.
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Published: 24 Jan 2024, 04:11 PM IST
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