Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Bastille Day parade celebrations in Paris on Friday. PM Modi is the ‘Guest of Honour’ for today’s event. The parade that showcases the military might of France saw participation of Indian armed forces.

The 269-member contingent of tri-service saw Indian Air Force’s Rafale jets joining their French counterparts in Parisian skies. The French-made Rafale fighter jets that India purchased in 2015 took part in the fly-past over the Arc de Triomphe.

PM Modi was seen interacting with First Lady Brigitte Macron and other dignitaries. PM Modi along with President Emmanuel Macron arrived at Champs-Elysees earlier today. French National Day, more popularly known as Bastille Day, marks the 1789 storming of the Bastille prison that took place during the French Revolution. The Paris parade is the high point of these celebrations.

Visuals from Paris showed Rajputana Rifles Regiment Band accompanying the Indian marching contingents. It should be noted that Rajputana Rifles is the senior-most rifle regiment of the Indian Army. The regiment took part in both World War I and World War II. Led by Captain Aman Jagtap, Punjab Regiment contingent also marched along the Champs-Élysées.

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Earlier in the day, PM Modi was conferred with France’s highest military and civilian honour – Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour – by Macron at the Elysee Palace. Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to be accorded with this honour. He has joined that likes of other global leaders such as King Charles – the then Prince of Wales, former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel among others.

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The parade comes a day after India’s defence ministry cleared the way for acquisition of 26 additional Rafale combat jets along with three Scorpene class submarines. A Reuters report says that the total cost of this massive defence deal is pegged at $9.75 billion.