130 #French soldiers to march with Indian troops during the #67thRepublicDay parade tomorrow pic.twitter.com/wzc8Z2qOI2
— Press Release Watch (@PrReleaseWatch) January 25, 2016
The participation of foreign troops in the parade is the first such in the history of the Republic Day parade.
A contingent of around 130 French soldiers on Saturday participated in the full dress rehearsal for the parade on Rajpath.The gesture of having French troops participate in the parade reciprocates that of France to India in 2009. On July 14 that year, on the occasion of Bastille Day, one of the oldest regiments of the Indian Army -- the Maratha Light Infantry -- marched down the Champs Elysee in Paris with the French Army.This year, French President François Hollande is the chief guest at the Republic Day parade.
