PM Modi to attend Bastille Day Parade in Paris as guest of honour

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend this year’s Bastille Day Parade in Paris as the guest of honour on July 14, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Friday.

An Indian armed forces’ contingent will also participate in the parade along with their French counterparts, the ministry said in a statement. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership, Prime Minister Modi has accepted French President Emmanuel Macron’s invitation to attend this year’s Bastille Day Parade as the guest of honour, it said.

Reacting to the announcement, Macron in a tweet in French and Hindi said, “Dear Narendra, it will be my pleasure to welcome you to Paris as the guest of honour for the 14th of July parade.” Prime Minister Modi will be the second Indian prime minister to be the Guest of Honour at Bastille Day after Manmohan Singh in 2009, the embassy said.