Effusive in her praise for the Indian tri-service contingent, which took part in the Bastille Day Parade on Friday, a member of the French Parliament, Anne Genetet, said she was “quite impressed” with what the Indian soldiers demonstrated at the National Day celebrations on Friday.
“I was quite impressed by the presence of Indian soldiers here for our own parade, for National Day, for Bastille Day …very impressive to see them. It was really a thrilling moment,” Genetet said. She also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade.
“I also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I met him previously in 2018. He struck me as a very impressive PM. He has a strength that is very uncommon and a determination to convince people interacting with him, which I think is very impressive,” the French MP said.
“He is here to celebrate the partnership between France and India, which I think is one of the very important moments in our history,” she added.
The majestic Bastille Day parade, which had participation from contingents from Indian armed forces, took place under bright and sunny skies at Champs-Élysées in Paris.
This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Another member of the French Parliament, and also the president of India, France Friendship Group at the National Assembly, Jean Philippe Tanguy, also hailed ties between the two countries, saying that it was a great honour for him to meet PM Modi.
“It was a great honour for me and the assembly as I am a very young member of the Parliament, so it was very impressive to benefit from meeting with such a great man and with his experience as the leader of India,” Tanguy said. Earlier, chairman of The Board of Business France and French Ambassador for International Investment, Pascal Cagni, said Prime Minister Modi’s vision is “extremely forward-looking and ambitious.
He called for more investments and partnerships between India and France in an interview with ANI, saying, “I believe it’s extremely forward-looking and ambitious overall as vision. So we are very pleased with this. I think it’s aligned incredibly well with President Macron. That’s why it was about time that we realized that. I had been in support of India for 20 years and now it’s very much time that we make it happen in a stronger way. So more investment, more partnerships in between France & India.”
Cagni made the remarks after attending the India-France CEO forum.
The India-France CEO Forum was held following a joint press briefing by PM Modi and French President Macron.
Also, on Friday, PM Modi acknowledged the significant role played by business leaders in strengthening the partnership between India and France.
At the India-France CEO Forum, PM Modi said, “I congratulate you on Bastille Day. This year we are celebrating 25 years of our strategic partnership. Business leaders like you have contributed immensely to this partnership.”
