French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in India on Thursday, Jan. 25 ahead of the country's Republic Day celebration over the weekend.

The invitation was apparently a response to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to France on the occasion of Bastille Day last July.

Macron landed in Jaipur, in Rajasthan state, as he would be hosted by Modi at a banquet in a 19th-century maharaja's palace in the city, France 24 reported.

On Friday (Jan. 26), he would be India's guest of honor in New Delhi's Republic Day Parade, which would feature military units - from infantry to camel cavalry to tanks to fighter jet fly-pasts - marching past in colorful fashion.

Just as Indian troops marched down the Champs-élysées last year, a French military contingent would also join the parade in Delhi while French-built jets would be roaring overhead.

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Franco-Indian 'Strategic Partnership'

Historically, France had a very limited presence in the Indian Subcontinent during the age of colonialism. But this does not deter India from establishing what its foreign ministry called a "strategic partnership" between the two nations.

On the other hand, French government officials said that Macon's trip would "consolidate and deepen diplomatic and economic relations."

Despite concerns over human rights, press freedom issues, differences over the war in Ukraine, religious controversy, and Delhi's close ties with the Kremlin - which remained India's military supplier - the US and its European allies were courting India as a military and economic counterweight to China.

India has also been observed to diversify its military arsenal after its defense ministry purchased French-made Rafale fighter jets and Scorpene-class submarines in multibillion-dollar deals.

In addition to defense assets, Macron was also hoping that his country could sell sex EPR nuclear reactors to India.

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