Macron, R-Day Chief Guest, Visits Jaipur’s Amer Fort; Roadshow Planned

French President Emmanuel Macron, chief guest for this year’s Republic Day celebrations, landed in Jaipur today. He will be joined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a tour of a couple of heritage sites and a roadshow.

Emmanuel Macron visited the Amer Fort, where a cultural event was held.

PM Modi will join him for the tour of Jantar Mantar a UNESCO World Heritage site. The two leaders will then take part in a joint roadshow from Jantar Mantar to Sanganeri gate with a stopover at Hawa Mahal.

Sources said they will have Jaipur’s special masala chai at Hawa Mahal and may pick up handicrafts items like blue pottery and the famous inlay work, for which they will pay with BHIM UPI. Handicraft kiosks have been set up adjacent to the Hawa Mahal for the dignitaries to browse.

A private dinner for Mr Macron has also been planned at the Rambag Palace.

The visit comes as the Centre and the French government continue to negotiate multi-billion dollar deals for French fighter jets and submarines for the army.

It is expected that India’s proposed procurement of 26 Rafale fighter jets and the three Scorpion submarines would also figure in the bilateral talks that will be held later.

France is India’s second largest arms supplier and has been one of its oldest and closest partners in Europe for decades.

President Macron had accepted the last minute invite for the Republic Day celebration, which has been read as a mark on the strength of the bilateral relations between the two nations.

New Delhi had dialled Paris when US President Joe Biden conveyed that he cannot come.

PM Modi was the Guest of Honour at France’s Bastille Day celebrations in July last year.