New Delhi: French President Emmanual Macron will be joining India in the Republic Day 2024 celebration on January 26. The External Affairs Ministry on Friday confirmed that Macron India as the Chief Guest for the Republic Day celebrations. “At the invitation of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of France, will be visiting India as the Chief Guest for the 75th Republic Day celebrations,” stated the Ministry.

Taking to X, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed his attendance as the Chief Guest at next year’s Republic Day celebrations and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the invitation. “Thank you for your invitation, my dear friend @NarendraModi. India, on your Republic Day, I’ll be here to celebrate with you!” Macron posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Thank you for your invitation, my dear friend @NarendraModi. India, on your Republic Day, I’ll be here to celebrate with you!
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 22, 2023

This marks the sixth occasion when a French leader will serve as the chief guest at Republic Day celebrations in the national capital. Preceding Macron, former French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac held the position in 1976 and 1998, while former Presidents Valery Giscard d’Estaing, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Francois Hollande assumed the role in 1980, 2008, and 2016, respectively.

India and France exhibit a substantial level of alignment on various regional and global matters as strategic allies. The upcoming year marks the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership. Additionally, the Ministry of External Affairs noted that Prime Minister Modi served as the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade on July 14, 2023, in Paris, having received an invitation from French President Macron during his visit to France.

Meanwhile, French President Macron also visited India in September this year to attend the G20 Summit which was held under India’s Presidency.

President Macron and Prime Minister Modi held a bilateral meeting in Delhi on September 10, on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

Following the meeting, PM Modi said they reaffirmed their commitment to take India-France relations to newer heights of progress. India and France cooperate closely in various sectors, including defence, space, civil nuclear, trade, investment, education, culture and people-to-people ties.