14 juillet 2022 - French National Day

Mr. Foreign Secretary, distinguished guests from all walks of life, from French and Indian companies, and chers compatriots.

A warm welcome tonight to the Residence of France.

Tonight we have our chief guest who is the MEA Foreign Secretary, H.E. Mr. Vinay Kwatra, an accomplished diplomat and also a brilliant French speaker. I am delighted to welcome you. He will address you in a few seconds and maybe in French, we’ll see.

I also welcome and I am very proud to have him tonight, Mr. Ranganathan Madhavan. I don’t think he needs any introduction. You must know this great actor for his role in ’3 Idiots’, a good movie, and also his last movie called ‘Rocketry’ which was partly shot in France on Ariane rocket launchpad, and was screened at Cannes during the festival. Mr. Madhavan went to Cannes in May for the festival and made a big event. I am confident that with his help, his image, we are going to have more and more movies shot in France, especially movies directed by him.

Today we are together - I don’t have to explain again – but to celebrate what is the birth of modern France, a country which is independent, open to the world, a vibrant democracy, just as India is. And this year is also very special because we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of our diplomatic relations - 75 years of great trust. The two countries have been at each others’ sides for all the events each time they needed each other. We have been there when you had the issues in Pokhran with nuclear tests, at Kargil. And we were side by side during the Covid crisis. We remember that India helped us a lot with the export of medical drugs to French hospitals, and we reciprocated with oxygen generators brought to India, thanks to the great support of many French companies and I am happy to applaud them tonight.

It’s been 75 years also of exchanges between people, exchanges of students. We say it again - Indian students are very welcome to France. We have currently almost 10,000 and we expect a lot more in the coming years.

Exchanges also of culture- I am very proud of the festival Namaste France, Bonjour India and I know many of you have participated.

It’s been 75 years also of outstanding cooperation between our two countries with amazing results especially, in the defence sector. We are very proud now that the Rafale is flying in the skies of India.

And tonight we are also celebrating something else, we are celebrating French Art de vivre. Some people among you might say it is about food. I don’t think personally it’s totally true. But it is partly true. And I hope that all of you tonight are going to give it a try and we have many surprises for you.

Now if you allow me for one minute to switch to French to address my fellow citizens for one second.

Chers compatriotes bonsoir,

Bienvenue de nouveau à tous à la Résidence de France en ce 14 juillet.

Ce soir dans cette ambassade comme dans toutes les ambassades et consulats du monde, nous nous retrouvons pour célébrer la fête nationale. C’est une journée particulière, et un vrai plaisir de se retrouver après deux années marquées par le Covid, la pandémie qui a durement éprouvé nos communautés.

Ce soir nous célébrons les valeurs qui fondent la République française, la liberté, l’égalité et la fraternité. Ce sont ces valeurs que vous incarnez. Vous êtes tous et toutes les représentants de notre pays aux yeux de nos amis indiens. Vous êtes les acteurs de ce qu’est la France à l’étranger, et cela aussi je vous en remercie. Continuez, soyez dynamiques, entreprenants et confiants ! Merci à tous, vive la France, vive l’Inde, vive l’amitié franco-indienne !

I will now give the floor to the Foreign Secretary, who is our chief guest tonight. Thank you for coming. Thank you again.