
French President Macron extends Republic Day greetings to India
Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron extended his greetings to India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as the people of India on the occasion of 76th Republic Day.
Macron shared a photograph of himself with PM Modi from last year when he visited India as the Chief Guest for the Republic Day celebrations.
The French President said he is looking forward to seeing PM Modi at the Summit on Action for Artificial Intelligence, which will be held in France next month.
"My congratulations to the Indian people and my dear friend Narendra Modi on this Republic Day. Fond memories of that great moment of friendship I shared with you in 2024. Looking forward to seeing you in France in February for the Summit on Action for Artificial Intelligence," Macron said in a post on X.
Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's participation as a co-chair at the upcoming AI Summit in France, following an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron.
"France is hosting the AI summit and French President Emmanuel Macron has invited PM Modi to co-chair the summit. We have accepted the invitation. You will be informed about any further updates regarding that tour in the coming days," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at the weekly briefing on Friday.
Notably, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit will be held in France from February 10 to 11.
Republic Day marks the adoption of the Indian Constitution on January 26, 1950. After India's independence, Dr BR Ambedkar served as the chairperson of the Constitution Drafting Committee. He played a pivotal role in forming the Constitution that is followed by the citizens of India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings to people on the 76th Republic Day.
"Happy Republic Day. Today, we celebrate 75 glorious years of being a republic. We bow to all the great women and men who made our Constitution and ensured that our journey is rooted in democracy, dignity and unity. May this occasion strengthen our efforts towards preserving the ideals of our Constitution and working towards a stronger and prosperous India," PM Modi posted on X.
PM Modi said he experienced a memorable morning at Kartavya Path on Sunday.
Sharing pictures from the Republic Day Parade, he called it a "vibrant display of India's unity in diversity." He further said the magnificent parade showcased cultural heritage and military prowess, and the vibrant tableaux represented the rich traditions of our states.
On Sunday, India marked the occasion with a grand showcase of its military strength and cultural diversity at the grand parade at Kartavya Path.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto was the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations this year.
Other events that will be part of the Republic Day celebrations include the Beating Retreat Ceremony on January 29, the National School Band Competition, and Bharat Parv, a cultural festival that will be organized at the Red Fort, Delhi, from January 26-31, 2025.
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