Emmanuel Macron awarded the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, guest of honor on July 14, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor, we learned Friday from the Elysee. “This decoration salutes the role of the Prime Minister in the excellent relationship of friendship and trust that unites France and India,” added the presidency. The Indian Prime Minister is due to attend with the French President on Friday morning the military parade on the Champs-Élysées.
“It is with great humility that I accept the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor”, the highest distinction that a French president can award, reacted on Twitter Narendra Modi. “I thank President Emmanuel Macron, the government and the people of France for this gesture. It shows their deep affection for India and their determination to promote friendship with our nation,” he added.
The insignia of Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor were awarded to Narendra Modi on Thursday evening during a reception at the Élysée. In February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was also awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. Paris and New Delhi are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership this year, which France aims to strengthen in order to weigh in the Asia-Pacific zone, although India is accused by NGOs of authoritarian drift.
“India will have a decisive role for our future, it is also a strategic partner and a friendly country,” Macron said Thursday evening during a speech to the armies. This visit is an opportunity to discuss the terms and conditions for the purchase of 26 new Dassault Aviation Rafales in Navy version for the Indian aircraft carrier, as well as three submarines, an acquisition to which New Delhi gave its approval on Thursday. principle.
Environmentalists have denounced this visit, “a major political fault” on the part of Emmanuel Macron. Narendra Modi’s party “is a Hindu nationalist political movement on the far right of India’s political spectrum,” they wrote in a statement. Since coming to power in 2014, India “has steadily regressed in its fight against poverty, against inequality, as well as in terms of human rights and fundamental freedoms”, they added.
Emmanuel Macron presented several leaders with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor during official visits to France. He was strongly criticized when he awarded it in 2020 to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.