Macron's India visit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday gifted a replica of the recently-inaugurated Ram Mandir to French President Emmanuel Macron in Jaipur during the latter's two-day visit to India. Macron was invited as the Chief Guest for the 75th Republic Day celebrations on Friday in the national capital and began his visit from Rajasthan.
Macron arrived in Jaipur on Thursday afternoon and was received by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma among others. After a visit to Amber Fort where he interacted with local artists and students, Macron met PM Modi at Jantar Mantar and both leaders held a roadshow from there to Jaipur's iconic Hawa Mahal.
PM Modi was also seen explaining the UPI payment system to Macron as the two leaders visited a local shop during their visit to Hawa Mahal. Notably, UPI is a system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application (of any participating bank), merging several banking features, seamless fund routing, and merchant payments into one hood. It allows users to transfer money through their mobile device around the clock.
The two leaders will also attempt to boost bilateral cooperation in a range of areas, including digital domain, defence, trade, clean energy, youth exchanges, and easing of visa norms for Indian students, according to sources. It is expected that India's proposed procurement of 26 Rafale-M (marine version) fighter jets and three Scorpene submarines would also figure in the talks between PM Modi and Macron, as well as the situation in the Middle East, Ukraine and Indo-Pacific.
President Macron will be accompanied by a ministerial delegation comprising Stephane Sejourne (Europe and Foreign Affairs), Sebastien Lecornu (Armed Forces) and Rachida Dati (Culture), a business delegation along with eminent personalities, including ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, according to a French readout.
Notably, this is the sixth time a French leader will be the chief guest at Republic Day celebrations here in the national capital. Before Macron, former French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac was the Chief guest on India's Republic Day celebrations in 1976 and 1998, as were former Presidents Valery Giscard d'Estaing, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Francois Hollande in the years 1980, 2008 and 2016, respectively.
PM Modi was the guest of honour at the prestigious Bastille Day Parade in Paris in July last year. "President Macron's visit will consolidate the ambitious renewal of the France-India strategic partnership that the two leaders decided on in Paris on July 14 through the 'Horizon 2047 Roadmap'," the readout said.
Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha
The 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla idol in the grand Ram Mandir was performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ayodhya on Monday. It was an historic moment for the country as the 500-year-old struggle to see the Ram Temple finally turned out to be fruitful. A Diwali-like celebrations were witnessed across the country.
Thousands of temples, government buildings, railway stations, institutions, shops, were decorated to celebrate the occasion. Ayodhya witnessed fireworks, light and sound show in the evening to commemorate the event. Several ghats in the country were also decorated, lit up in special lights to welcome Lord Ram. Religious processions, community langars were also organised in various cities. Overall, the country was in a festive mood on the inauguration day of Ram Mandir.
(with ANI inputs)
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