PM Modi to attend Bastille Day Parade in Paris as guest of honour on July 14

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend this year's Bastille Day Parade in Paris as the guest of honour on July 14, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Friday.

An Indian armed forces' contingent will also participate in the parade along with their French counterparts, the MEA said in a statement.

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership, Prime Minister Modi has accepted French President Emmanuel Macron's invitation to attend this year's Bastille Day Parade as the guest of honour, it said.

Prime Minister Modi's visit is expected to herald the next phase of the India-France strategic partnership by setting new and ambitious goals for strategic, cultural, scientific, academic and economic cooperation, including in a wide range of industries, the MEA said.

India and France have a shared vision on peace and security, especially in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, and uphold the objectives and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, which are also the basis of their cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, it said.

''This historic visit will also deliver common initiatives in order to respond to the key challenges of our time, including climate change, biodiversity loss and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, and will be an opportunity for India and France to reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism, including in the context of India's G20 presidency,'' the statement said.