French President Emmanuel Macron to arrive in Jaipur today

NEW DELHI: French President Emmanuel Macron, who is a Chief Guest for the 75th Republic Day celebrations in the national capital, will arrive in Jaipur today. Macron's visit caps the 25th-anniversary celebrations of the India-France Strategic Partnership

Ahead of the French President's visit, the pink city of Jaipur has been decked up with posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Macron.

Macron will begin his visit by touring the Amber Fort. Later, he will be received by PM Modi, and the two leaders will tour the pink city together. Macron is visiting India as the chief guest at the 75th Republic Day celebrations on the invitation of PM Modi.

On this occasion, a French armed forces contingent will participate in the Republic Day parade and flypast alongside India troops and aviators.

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," according to an official statement.

Following their tour, the two leaders will hold in-depth bilateral talks. Later on January 26, President Macron will attend the Republic Day parade as the chief guest.

"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, 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. Moreover, he has welcomed PM Modi to France on four occasions.

During his visit, Macon will be accompanied, among others, by a ministerial delegation comprising Stephane Sejourne (Europe and Foreign Affairs), Sebastien 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. Macron's state visit marks France's sixth participation, the highest of any other nation, as chief guest on India's Republic Day.

Furthermore, it comes months after PM Modi's Paris trip on France's Bastille Day on July 14, 2023. "This reciprocal invitation to national day celebrations is unprecedented and shows the deep mutual trust and unwavering friendship underpinning Indo-French ties," the statement said.

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 PM Modi will seek to advance our cooperation and finalise new initiatives under the three pillars of the roadmap. France and India have developed 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," the statement said.

They also have a long-standing, exemplary cooperation of over 60 years on space, spanning launchers, space exploration, crewed flights, climate monitoring satellites, and maritime surveillance. The second pillar includes partnerships for the planet.

This visit will seek to advance common initiatives to respond to the key challenges of our 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," the statement stated. It is exemplified by joint initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance.

Lastly, the third pillar signified partnership for the people. 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 highlighted.

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.