Preparations for Republic Day are going on in full swing across the country.
This year, the 75th Republic Day celebration on the path of duty on 26th January is going to be very important. French President Emmanuel Macron will be the chief guest.
French Army will also take part in the Republic Day parade. A 95-member contingent of the French Army has already arrived in India and is making preparations for the parade at Vijay Chowk.
Two French Rafale fighter jets, a French transport aircraft and a 95-member contingent of the French Foreign Legion will take part in the Republic Day celebrations.
The French Foreign Legion is considered the most elite army in the world. It is known for its specialized training and its missions around the world.
Apart from the French Army on the ground, the Air and Space Force will be seen performing tricks in the sky.
The French Air and Space Force took part in a fly-past rehearsal over the line of duty in the national capital on Saturday ahead of the 75th Republic Day parade.
Earlier, Defense Secretary Giridhar Armane said on Friday that France’s 95-member marching team and 33-member band team will also participate in the parade.
Armane said the Air Force aircraft along with a Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft and two Rafale fighter jets of the French Air Force will participate in the ‘fly-past’.
Let us tell you that this is the second time when a contingent of French armed forces will parade on the duty path. Earlier in 2016, French Army soldiers had created history by participating in India’s Republic Day.
This was the first time that a foreign army took part in the parade on India’s Republic Day. Even at that time, the chief guest was the then President of France, François Hollande.
It is noteworthy that earlier last year the Indian Army had also participated in the parade of France. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief guest at the ‘Bastille Day’ celebrations, France’s national day, celebrated on 14 July.
PM Modi attended as the chief guest on the invitation of France. During this, contingents of all three armies of India took part in the parade. On this occasion, three Rafale aircraft of India also did a flypast.
Relations between India and France have developed rapidly in the last decade. France is an important partner of India especially in the defense sector.
After Prime Minister Modi’s visit to France last year, a 25-year roadmap was announced. It mentioned France’s cooperation in building the Indian submarine fleet.