The tri-services contingent of the Indian Armed Forces arrived in France on July 7, 2023, for the Bastille Day Parade, that is set to take place on July 14, 2023. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the Guest of Honor at the parade.

As per India’s Ministry of Defence, the parade will witness participation from 269 Indians marching alongside French personnel. 2023 marks a quarter century of strategic partnership between France and India, and over the years the nations have become reliable defence partners, the defence ministry said.

The Indian Army contingent comprising of 77 marching personnel and 38 members of the band will be led by Captain Aman Jagtap. The Navy contingent will be led by Commander Vrat Baghel and the Indian Air Force contingent by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy. The Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force will be part of the flypast during the parade.

The association of the Indian and French armies and air forces date back to World War I. Over 1.3 million Indian soldiers participated in the war, and almost 74,000 died while 67,000 of them were wounded. Indian troops significantly contributed toward winning that war, and the participation increased to 2.5 million in World War II.