Republic Day Parade: India will be celebrating its 75th Republic Day on Friday, and French President Emmanuel Macron will be the chief guest this year. He will be the sixth French leader to attend the Republic Day celebrations. Almost every year, since 1950, dignitaries from different countries have attended the celebration which includes a parade at the Kartavya Path which was earlier known as the Rajpath in New Delhi.
The parade includes a march past by personnel of the Indian Armed Forces, a vibrant tableaux display of different states and Union Territories and dances by school children. However, before anything begins, the President of India hoists the national flag. The Republic Day celebrations span three days and end with the Beating Retreat on January 29.
India invited the French President after his US counterpart Joe Biden cancelled his visit to India as the guest of honour for Republic Day due to scheduling issues.
"At the invitation of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of France, will be visiting India as the Chief Guest for the 75th Republic Day celebrations," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
The selection of a chief guest begins six months in advance. Foreign policy, culture, and tradition, along with political, economic, strategic, and military factors play a key role in choosing a chief guest.
“As Strategic Partners, India and France share a high degree of convergence on a range of regional and global issues. This year, we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership. The Prime Minister was the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade held on 14 July 2023 in Paris. President Macron visited India for the G-20 Summit on 9-10 September 2023.” the MEA statement further added.
The primary purpose of inviting a chief guest is to boost the relationship between India and the guest nation.
Here are some of the other leaders who have attended the Republic Day celebrations:
2023 – Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President of Egypt
2022 and 2021 – No chief guest due to Covid pandemic
2020 – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro
2019 – Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa
2018 – Heads of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) states including, Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei, Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia, Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister of Laos, Najib Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Aung San Suu Kyi, State counsellor of Myanmar, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, President of the Philippines, Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore, Prayuth Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand and Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of Vietnam
2017 – Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of UAE
2016 – Francois Hollande, President of France
2015 – Barack Obama, President of the United States
2014 – Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan
2013 – Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, King of Bhutan
2012 – Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand
2011 – Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of Indonesia
2010 – Lee Myung Bak, President of South Korea
French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Jaipur on January 25 with PM Modi. On Republic Day, a 95-member marching contingent and a 33-member band contingent from France will also march down Karthavya Path. French Air Force Rafale fighter jets and multirole tanker transport aircraft will also participate in the Republic Day parade.