Mumbai, May 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the guest of honour at France’s Bastille Day 2023 celebrations on July 14. France President Emmanuel Macron, in French and Hindi tweets, confirmed that PM Modi will grace the National Day of France.

"Cher Narendra, heureux de t'accueillir a Paris comme invite d'honneur du defile du 14 juillet !," tweeted Macron in French, while his Hindi tweet read, "priya Narendra, 14 July kii Parade ke smmaanit atithike rup mein tumhaaraa Paris me Swagat kar ke mujhe Bahut khushi hogi! ,"which translates to, "Dear Narendra, It will be my pleasure to welcome you to Paris as a guest of honor for the 14th of July parade." Bastille Day 2023: PM Narendra Modi to Be Guest of Honour on France's National Day on July 14, French President Emmanuel Macron Announces in Hindi.

India and France have enjoyed a long-standing relationship, and the bond of friendship between Narendra Modi and Macron has taken the ties to a new high. Both nations have a shared vision of peace and security, especially in Europe and the Indo-Pacific and uphold the objectives and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, which are also the basis of our cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. On multiple occasions, both nations have stood by each other's side, like in 1998, France refused to join the high-decibel Western chorus criticising India’s nuclear tests. Bastille Day Parade 2023: PM Narendra Modi To Attend Parade in Paris As Guest of Honour on July 14.

Know Why His Visit Is Significant:

The national day of France dates back to the French Revolution. "It’s a moment for the French to celebrate what binds them together, especially the values of “liberty, equality, fraternity” - which, by the way, are also in the Preamble to India’s Constitution!," the French Embassy in India said.

Every Bastille Day, a special military parade is carried out at Paris’ famous Avenue des Champs-Elysées, not very different from the Republic Day parade on Kartavya Path. PM Narendra Modi will be the second Indian Prime Minister to be the Guest of Honour at Bastille Day, after Dr Manmohan Singh in 2009. Meanwhile, France has been the Republic Day guest of honour five times since 1951.

This year, Indian and French troops will march side by side in the military parade in Paris. An Indian armed forces contingent will participate alongside their French counterparts in the Parade.

The visit of PM Modi to France will be significant as both nations are celebrating 25 years of their strategic partnership this year. From defence to the Indo-Pacific, space to climate, etc., India and France have worked together to make their respective nations stronger and the world safer.

July 14 is marked as France’s National Day. One of the revolutionary days in Paris and now a national holiday, July 14 is celebrated enthusiastically with solemn military parades, easygoing dancing, and fireworks. On this day in 1789, a French revolutionary mob from the Faubourg Saint-Antoine stormed the Bastille. The storming of the Bastille represented a symbolic act against royal authority in central Paris. This act was considered the first act of the French Revolution and quickly became a significant date in French history.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 05, 2023 09:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).