Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership, a group of eminent Indian artists and artisans will travel to Paris next week to take part in the ‘Namaste France’ festival, marking a significant moment in the history of Indo-French relations.
Organized by the Embassy of India with support from the Ministry of Culture, the festival will be held in Boulogne Billancourt from July 6-9 and will precede Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France. He has been invited by French President Emmanuel Macron to attend this year’s Bastille Day Parade as a ‘Guest of Honour’ on July 14 in Paris.
The four-day event is part of the ongoing reciprocal commitment to cultural festivals made by both leaders in a joint declaration signed during PM Modi’s visit to France in August 2019.
The ‘Namaste France’ festival will feature performances by internationally acclaimed artists, including Amjad Ali Khan, Ricky Kej, and L Subramanian, who have received prestigious awards such as Padma Shri, Padma Vibhushan, and Grammys. The event aims to have a universal and intergenerational appeal, promoting interpersonal links between the Indian and French populations.
The organizers, the Indian Embassy in Paris, and the Ministry of Culture have stated that ‘Namaste France’ will present a diverse mix of India’s cultural traditions and contemporary arts, ranging from classical to folk art, yoga to Bollywood dance workshops, photography to crafts, and gastronomy. They promise an immersive experience in India’s rich cultural landscape.
The festival also intends to pay tribute to the historical and friendly relations between India and France, as well as their multidimensional strategic partnership. It brings together renowned performing artists, visual arts, and Indian artisans, offering a captivating celebration of India’s cultural diversity.
In another notable aspect, an Indian armed forces contingent will participate alongside their French counterparts in the Bastille Day Parade in Paris on July 14.
PM Modi’s visit is expected to mark a new phase in the India-France Strategic Partnership, setting ambitious goals for strategic, cultural, scientific, academic, and economic cooperation, across various industries.
India and France share a vision of peace and security, especially in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, and they uphold the objectives and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, forming the basis of their cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that this historic visit will also lead to joint initiatives to address key global challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. It will provide an opportunity for India and France to reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism, particularly in the context of India’s G20 Presidency.
