Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on an official visit to France from Thursday at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron as a guest of honour as the nation gears up for Bastille Day celebrations on July 14.
Bastille Day is an occasion of enormous importance for the French people, as it marks the country's national day. It is usually celebrated with spectacular fireworks displays and military parades. Ahead of PM Modi's visit, an Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent, which will participate in the Bastille Day Parade on Friday, has been seen engaging in a practice session with French military.
History and significance of Bastille Day
Bastille Day, the French national day, is also called la Fête nationale or le 14 juillet. It is celebrated to commemorate the occasion when the French population stormed the military fortress and prison named Bastille, a symbol of France's harsh monarchy, in 1789, marking the beginning of the French Revolution.
On July 14, 1789, the people of France seized weapons and stormed the Bastille and released seven prisoners from there. The occasion marks the first victory of the populace from the 'Ancien Régime' (Old Regime). The Bastille was later razed to the ground. The day marks when the people secured their victory and overthrew the harsh rule of King Louis XVI.
A year later in 1790, the Fête de la Fédération (Feast of the Federations) celebrated the fall of Bastille with great fervour. Since then, July 14 has become a key marker of French pride and culture and the Bastille Day is observed annually to celebrate the unity of French people.
Bastille Day became an official holiday in France in 1880. Since then, it has been celebrated with great pomp every year except the period of World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
What will happen in this year's Bastille Day celebrations?
The French national day is celebrated with a number of military parades and a spectacular display of fireworks and illuminations. The celebrations are known to include as one of the largest military parades at the Champs-Élysées in Paris in front of the President. Several heads of state are invited to the parade on this occasion. This year, PM Modi has been invited by President Macron as a guest of honour to symbolise the growing relations between India and France.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the year 2023 marks the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership and PM Modi's visit provides opportunity to strengthen this partnership in cultural, scientific, academic and economic cooperation.
However, given that France has recently witnessed a spade of violent riots following the fatal police shooting of a teenager in Nanterre, a suburban area of Paris, the government has decided to impose a ban on the sale, possession and transport of firecrackers this year amid fears of renewed violence.
However, the ban is not applicable to the professionals or local areas that are engaged in firework displays for the Bastille Day weekend.
India to receive Rafale-M fighters
In what would be a major boost to the Indian Navy and the country’s defence prowess overall, India is likely to sign a deal for the purchase of the naval version of the Rafale fighter jets. India has already procured 36 Rafale jets from France for its Air Force in September 2016.
Meanwhile, the three Scorpene class submarines would be acquired under the repeat clause by the Navy as part of Project 75 where they would be built in the Mazagon Dockyards Limited in Mumbai, government sources said.
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