Emmanuel Macron specially awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the guest of honor on the July 14 national holiday.
The traditional July 14 military parade on the Champs Elysées in Paris went off without a hitch.
And this year, India was the guest of honor of France, a country marked by recent unrest following the death of a young man during a police check.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor from Emmanuel Macron. The French President was still booed on his way to the podium of honor.
Paris and New Delhi celebrated the 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership this year, despite India being accused by NGOs of authoritarian drift, despite the recent European Parliament taking a stand.
However, some in France argue that the nearly completed purchase of 26 burst fighters and three submarines will reduce India’s dependence on Russia for weapons.
240 Indian soldiers took part in the parade, which was attended by nearly seven thousand soldiers.
But the greatest “uniformed” presence is the impressive police deployment: more than 10,000 police officers are responsible for ensuring security in the Paris region, 45,000 across the region.
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