[Watch] French President Macron Visits Amer Fort Ahead Of R-Day Celebrations

Jaipur: French President Emmanuel Macron, who will be the chief guest of India’s 75th Republic Day celebrations, visited the Amer Fort shortly after landing in the Rajasthan capital here on Thursday.

External Affairs minister S Jaishankar accompanied Macron to the Amer Fort, where local artists entertained the gusts with a cultural show.

Indian Prime Minister Modi, who has also reached Jaipur, will join Macron and visit Jantar Mantar, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The two leaders will then take part in a joint roadshow from Jantar Mantar to Sanganeri gate, with a stopover at Hawa Mahal.

The two nations are celebrating 25th-anniversary of Indo-France Strategic Partnership this year.

Macron is accompanied 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; other eminent personalities, including ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet.

This is the sixth that France is participating at India’s Republic Day celebrations.

President Macron came to India on a state visit in March 2018. Last September, Macron visited India again for the Delhi G20 Summit.

Before that, Modi went to Paris trip in July 2023.

After exploring India’s cultural richness in Jaipur and taking part in Republic Day celebrations at the Red Fort on Friday, Macron and Modi are expected to engage in bilateral talks.

The high-level delegation accompanying the French President hints at important announcements about Indo-French ties relating to defence procurement, maritime cooperation, energy trade and facilitating visa for Indian students to study in France.