NEW DELHI: A lavish royal feast and a vibrant military procession greet President Emmanuel Macron as the honored guest of India on Thursday. France is hoping to strike profitable partnerships with the fifth-largest economy in the world.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give Macron a red carpet greeting, dinner in a 19th-century maharaja’s palace, and chief guest status during a military march past that includes a fly-by of a fighter jet, a massed column of tanks, and dancing troupes.
The French presidency claims the visit would “consolidate and deepen diplomatic and economic relations,” while the foreign ministry of India describes New Delhi and Paris as “strategic partners.”
As a military and economic counterweight to China, Western democracies are courting New Delhi despite human rights concerns, disagreements over the Ukraine war, and tight connections with Moscow, India’s principal weapons supplier.
Following the Indian defense ministry’s multibillion-dollar acquisition of French-built Scorpene-class submarines and Rafale fighter planes, France intends to expand its military contracts.
Macron also hopes France can sell six EPR nuclear reactors. According to Indian media, Macron is visiting since US President Joe Biden was unable to accept an invitation.
Macron is expected to be greeted with a similar warmth during France’s traditional Bastille Day celebrations, where Modi was the guest of honor in July of last year.
Arriving in Jaipur, Rajasthan state, for dinner with Modi at the opulent Rambagh Palace, the French president, who was in India for the G20 conference in September, makes his first stop. Astronaut Thomas Pesquet is part of the French group that works with New Delhi and Paris on satellite and space technology.
Stopping at Jaipur’s 18th-century Jantar Mantar astronomical observation site is part of the tour.
As part of Republic Day celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the Indian constitution on 26th January 2024, Macron is scheduled to see a military parade in New Delhi on Friday.
In New Delhi, a French contingent will participate in the military show while French-built jets soar overhead, emulating the 2023 Parisian street marches of Indian soldiers.
Prior to the visit, the French presidency declared that India is “a key partner in contributing to international peace and security.”
In addition to traveling to nearby Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Macron made a trip to the Pacific last year with the goal of “recommitting” France to the larger Asia-Pacific area.
Concerns about rights will also be covered. Since Modi’s Hindu nationalist government came to office in 2014, journalists, activists, and members of religious minorities have complained about harassment and charges of increased religious intolerance towards the Muslim minority in the country.
India has dropped 21 spots to 161 out of 180 nations in Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom rating since Modi assumed power ten years ago, despite accusations that his government is suppressing independent media.
French journalist Vanessa Dougnac was informed this month that, as a result of what the Indian government has dubbed her “malicious and critical” reporting, she will have to leave the country after more than 20 years.
In a ceremony that symbolized the success of his forceful Hindu nationalist politics and energized supporters ahead of this year’s elections, Modi declared that the temple signaled the beginning of a “new era” for India.
During his tour, Macron is scheduled to stop at a Muslim Sufi shrine located in the Nizamuddin West district of New Delhi.
A Sikh organization in the UK also demanded that Macron forego the parade in order to “raise concerns directly” with Modi on the purported targeting of Sikh separatists overseas, a matter that precipitated a significant diplomatic dispute with Canada the previous year.
Prior to the visit, a French presidential adviser declared, “There are no taboo subjects.” “However, the objective is to have respectful discussions about them with the hope of producing tangible outcomes.”