Indian tri-services contingent leaves for French Bastille Day Parade

New Delhi: The tri-services contingent of the Indian armed forces left for France on 6 July for the Bastille Day parade.

The parade will witness a 269-member tri-services contingent of the Indian Armed Forces marching alongside their French counterparts, the ministry of defence said in a statement.

The Fete Nationale Francaise is celebrated on 15 July, the National Day in France. Bastille Day is celebrated as the anniversary of Storming of the Bastille in 1789 during the French Revolution. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited as the guest of honour at the Bastille Day parade in France.

The ministry said that the association of the Indian and the French Armies dates back to World War 1. Over 1.3 million Indian soldiers participated in the war and almost 74,000 of them fought in the muddy trenches to never return again, while another 67,000 were wounded. Indian troops valiantly fought on French soil also.

Later, World War 2 witnessed a whopping 2.5 million Indian soldiers making significant contributions in various theatres of the war from Asia to Africa and Europe. This also included the battlefields of France, it added.

This year, both the countries are celebrating 25 years of strategic partnership. The armies of both countries have been participating in joint exercises and sharing their experiences. Over the years, India and France have become reliable defence partners.

The Indian Army contingent comprising of 77 marching personnel and 38 members of the Band is being led by Captain Aman Jagtap. Indian Navy contingent is being led by Commander Vrat Baghel and the Indian Air Force contingent by Wing Commander Sudha Reddy. The Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force will also form part of the fly-past during the parade.

The Army contingent is being represented by the Punjab Regiment which is one of the oldest Regiments of the Indian Army.