Indian chief additionally awarded the French authorities’s highest honour in a go to marked by high-profile defence offers.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been handled to one in every of France’s most spectacular accolades as visitor of honour on the Bastille Day army parade, a part of a go to that has sealed high-profile defence offers.

Modi and President Emmanuel Macron on Friday watched French and Indian troopers march down the tree-lined Champs Elysees avenue in Paris, whereas French-made Rafale fighter jets India purchased in 2015 took half in a flypast over the Arc de Triomphe.

Bastille Day commemorates the day in 1789 that French residents stormed the Bastille fortress, which was used to detain prisoners and had develop into an emblem of the cruel rule of the French monarchy.

The nationwide celebrations come at a fragile time for Macron, who was additionally booed by some members of the general public as he drove down the Champs Elysees in a army automotive. His determination to lift the retirement age sparked months of protests this spring and has damage his reputation rankings.

Modi started a two-day go to to Paris on Thursday, when he was granted the Legion of Honour, France’s highest award.

“It is with great humility that I accept the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. This is an honour for the 140 crore [1.4 billion] people of India,” the 72-year-old Indian chief posted on Twitter.

It is with nice humility that I settle for the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. This is an honour for the 140 crore individuals of India. I thank President @EmmanuelMacron, the French Government and folks for this gesture. It reveals their deep affection in direction of India and resolve for… pic.twitter.com/Nw7V1JVgpb

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

“[India] is a giant in the history of the world which will have a determining role in our future,” Macron stated in a speech late on Thursday. “It is also a strategic partner and a friend.”

The Indian defence ministry on Thursday gave initial approval to purchase an additional 26 French-made Rafale jets for its navy and three Scorpene-class submarines, deepening defence ties with Paris at a time the 2 nations are searching for allies within the Indo-Pacific.

The whole worth of the purchases is anticipated to be round $9.75bn, in response to a supply acquainted with the main points, though that was nonetheless topic to negotiations, the Reuters information company reported.

Despite variations over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Western nations, together with the United States, have been courting Modi and India as a army and financial counterweight to China.

France has been one in every of India’s closest companions in Europe for many years. It was the one Western nation to not impose sanctions on New Delhi after India carried out nuclear exams in 1998.

India has relied on French fighter jets for 4 many years now. Before shopping for Dassault Aviation’s Rafale, India purchased Mirage jets within the Nineteen Eighties and people nonetheless comprise two squadrons of the air power.

The ageing fleet of India’s Russian-made planes, Moscow’s lack of ability to carry out upkeep work, and delays in India’s indigenous manufacturing plans have led to the 2 new defence offers.

Later on Friday, Macron will host Modi on the Elysee Palace for talks earlier than a state banquet on the Louvre Museum.

‘Disastrous signal’

But Modi’s go to has been criticised by human rights organisations involved concerning the perceived rising authoritarian nature of Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and accusations of discrimination in opposition to minorities, primarily the Muslims.

“Today, Emmanuel Macron rolls out the red carpet for Narendra Modi,” the French Ligue des Droits de l’Homme (LDH) rights group stated on Twitter. “The LDH, concerned about India’s authoritarian turn, denounces this invitation which sends a disastrous signal, negating our democratic values.”

French leftist chief Jean-Luc Melanchon stated whereas India was a “friendly country”, Modi was far-right chief who was “violently hostile to Muslims in his country”.

Ahead of Modi’s go to, Human Rights Watch stated it was “deeply concerning” that France ought to rejoice the concept of equality and liberty with “a leader whom many criticise for undermining democracy in India”.

Modi’s authorities has been accused of passing anti-Muslim laws and implementing anti-Muslim insurance policies because it got here to energy in 2014. That features a regulation on citizenship and the tip of the particular standing of Indian-administered Kashmir, India’s solely Muslim-majority area, in 2019.

The United Nations human rights workplace described the citizenship regulation as “fundamentally discriminatory” for excluding Muslim migrants.

But for France, the strategic partnership with India is essential because it seeks to consolidate its alliance community within the Indo-Pacific area after being dealt a blow by Australia when Canberra determined to ditch an enormous French submarine contract and kind the AUKUS alliance with the UK and the US.

Both India and France, by means of its island territories, have deep pursuits within the Indian Ocean and are involved about China’s rising assertiveness within the area.