Indian troops will take part in France's Bastille Day military parade, the first time India has taken part and an indication of the growing ties between the two nuclear powers.
A 400-strong detachment of Indian troops are to march down the Champs Elysees as part of the celebrations on Tuesday, under the eyes of Manmohan Singh, India's prime minister.
France has been building closer ties with India and is seeking contracts to supply weapons and civilian nuclear technology.
The office of Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president, said that the troops' presence shows France believes "India has a primary role on the international scene, and that we support India's candidacy to become a UN Security Council permanent member".
Drawn from the army, navy and the air force, the contingent will parade to the sound of Indian martial music played by a 90-member band as they march alongside thousands of French soldiers.
Sitanshu Kar, an Indian defence ministry spokesman, said last week: "It is a proud day for India as our troops will march in a country where they fought during World War I."
Indian soldiers under British command were part of two Allied divisions that fought the Germans around the northern French town of Neuve-Chapelle in 1915.
Nuclear ties
Singh, who was in Italy for the G8 summit, was invited to attend the July 14 French national holiday event as guest of honour by Sarkozy, who attended India's Republic Day celebrations in January 2008.
Singh last travelled to Paris in September 2008 to sign a major deal on civil nuclear co-operation between the two countries.
French state-controlled group Areva has signed a draft accord for the sale of up to six nuclear reactors to India, a huge new market now open after a nuclear trade embargo on New Delhi was lifted.
France is one of the key arms suppliers for India's technology-hungry military, and the French firm Dassault Aviation is in the race for a mammoth contract to supply 126 fighters to the Indian air force.
A jet contract could be worth up to $12bn.
Military strength
France and India have been steadily developing strong military ties.
In April the Indian and French navies took part in anti-submarine exercises off the coast of the western state of Goa.
The Bastille Day parade, one of the capital's biggest annual events, lets France show off its military hardware. This years celebrations will end with parachutists being dropped onto the Champs Elysee.
The parade is held each year on July 14, the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress in Paris by revolutionaries on July 14, 1789.
It was the symbolic starting point of the movement that led to the first French republic.
english.aljazeera 14 Luglio 2009
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/07/200971455421282949.html
A 400-strong detachment of Indian troops are to march down the Champs Elysees as part of the celebrations on Tuesday, under the eyes of Manmohan Singh, India's prime minister.
France has been building closer ties with India and is seeking contracts to supply weapons and civilian nuclear technology.
The office of Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president, said that the troops' presence shows France believes "India has a primary role on the international scene, and that we support India's candidacy to become a UN Security Council permanent member".
Drawn from the army, navy and the air force, the contingent will parade to the sound of Indian martial music played by a 90-member band as they march alongside thousands of French soldiers.
Sitanshu Kar, an Indian defence ministry spokesman, said last week: "It is a proud day for India as our troops will march in a country where they fought during World War I."
Indian soldiers under British command were part of two Allied divisions that fought the Germans around the northern French town of Neuve-Chapelle in 1915.
Nuclear ties
Singh, who was in Italy for the G8 summit, was invited to attend the July 14 French national holiday event as guest of honour by Sarkozy, who attended India's Republic Day celebrations in January 2008.
Singh last travelled to Paris in September 2008 to sign a major deal on civil nuclear co-operation between the two countries.
French state-controlled group Areva has signed a draft accord for the sale of up to six nuclear reactors to India, a huge new market now open after a nuclear trade embargo on New Delhi was lifted.
France is one of the key arms suppliers for India's technology-hungry military, and the French firm Dassault Aviation is in the race for a mammoth contract to supply 126 fighters to the Indian air force.
A jet contract could be worth up to $12bn.
Military strength
France and India have been steadily developing strong military ties.
In April the Indian and French navies took part in anti-submarine exercises off the coast of the western state of Goa.
The Bastille Day parade, one of the capital's biggest annual events, lets France show off its military hardware. This years celebrations will end with parachutists being dropped onto the Champs Elysee.
The parade is held each year on July 14, the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress in Paris by revolutionaries on July 14, 1789.
It was the symbolic starting point of the movement that led to the first French republic.
english.aljazeera 14 Luglio 2009
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/07/200971455421282949.html
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento