Article Posted on : - Jul 14, 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron during Bastille Day Parade, in Paris, France, Friday, July 14, 2023. A PTI Photo

PARIS (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today joined French President Emmanuel Macron for the Bastille Day parade as the Guest of Honour with an Indian tri-services marching contingent wowing crowds here during the French National Day celebrations.

Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) also joined the flypast on the occasion along with French jets.

Marching to the tune of 'saare jahan se achcha', the 269-member Indian tri-services contingent participated in the parade and joined the flypast.

Prime Minister Modi saluted the Indian contingent as it passed the dais where Macron, he and other dignitaries were seated.

Throughout the parade, Macron was seen animatedly explaining to Modi the nuances of the traditional parade.

The French National Day, or Bastille Day, occupies a special place in the French consciousness as it commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison during the French Revolution in 1789. The Bastille Day parade is the highlight of the celebrations.