Paris:
In a rare honour for India, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was on Tuesday the Chief Guest of Honour at the French National Day celebrations witnessing an impressive parade in which a contingent of Indian soldiers also marched to the soul stirring music of 'Saare Jahan Se Achchha'.
Singh became the first Indian leader to be the Chief Guest at the French celebrations, reflecting the closeness of ties between the two countries.
Sarkozy was the Chief Guest at the Republic Day last year and his invitation to Singh is a gesture of reciprocation.
France does not have the custom of inviting foreign heads of government or state to be the Chief Guest and only on few occasions this honour is bestowed on foreign leaders.
The event, during which the military parade opened with a detachment of 400 soldiers from the three defence services of India, bore a striking resemblance to the Republic Day celebrations in Delhi.
The Indian soldiers paraded down the 1.5-km stretch of Champs Elysees, along with French soldiers to the sound of Indian martial music played by a 90-member military band.
Maratha Regiment, one of the oldest infantry regiments of Indian army created in 1768 and which was deployed in Europe during the Second World War during the Italian campaign, was part of the parade.
Singh became the first Indian leader to be the Chief Guest at the French celebrations, reflecting the closeness of ties between the two countries.
Sarkozy was the Chief Guest at the Republic Day last year and his invitation to Singh is a gesture of reciprocation.
France does not have the custom of inviting foreign heads of government or state to be the Chief Guest and only on few occasions this honour is bestowed on foreign leaders.
The event, during which the military parade opened with a detachment of 400 soldiers from the three defence services of India, bore a striking resemblance to the Republic Day celebrations in Delhi.
The Indian soldiers paraded down the 1.5-km stretch of Champs Elysees, along with French soldiers to the sound of Indian martial music played by a 90-member military band.
Maratha Regiment, one of the oldest infantry regiments of Indian army created in 1768 and which was deployed in Europe during the Second World War during the Italian campaign, was part of the parade.
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