Thread by @FranceinIndia

Prime Minister @narendramodi will be the Guest of Honour at France’s #BastilleDay celebrations on 14th July.
What does this mean?

➜ A thread on this special moment for France🇫🇷 & India🇮🇳: (1/8)

14 July is France’s National Day.

It 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! (2/8)

Every #BastilleDay, Paris’ famous avenue des Champs-Elysées hosts a military parade - not very different from the #RepublicDay parade on Kartavya Path!

#DYK that France has been the Republic Day guest of honour 5 times since 1951? (3/8)

PM @narendramodi will be the 2nd Indian PM to be the Guest of Honour at #BastilleDay, after Dr Manmohan Singh in 2009.

His presence in Paris holds especial significance as France🇫🇷 & India🇮🇳 are celebrating 25 years of their strategic partnership this year. (4/8)

Indian and French troops will march side by side in the military parade in Paris.

Such images speak louder than words how close France and India are! (5/8)

Beyond symbols, this visit also has strong geopolitical significance: since 1947, France and India have always stood by each other. In good and bad times.

And because of this trust, we have built an incredibly ambitious strategic partnership. (6/8)

From defence to the #IndoPacific, from space to climate, & more: we work together to make our nations stronger, and the world safer.

That is the meaning of our partnership: fostering strategic autonomy in all areas and promoting a more just, rules-based world order. (7/8)

We are in this together for the long run.

When PM @narendramodi comes to France on #BastilleDay, we will celebrate our joint achievements of the last 25 years, and set our common ambitions for the next 25 years.

Long live the Indo-French friendship! 🇫🇷🤝🇮🇳 (8/8)