NEW DELHI: French President Emmanuel Macron is likely to arrive at Rajasthan capital Jaipur on January 25 for a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a day ahead of the 75th Republic Day celebrations for which he has been invited as the chief guest.A 50-member delegation, including top officials and CEOs, will accompany Macron. “President Macron will receive a royal welcome upon his arrival. His bilateral meeting with PM Modi will cover various sectors that would include defence, space, energy, maritime security, education, indigenous manufacturing of defence equipment, migration and mobility and Indo-Pacific. Some announcements are expected by the end of the day and MoUs will be signed,” according to a source.The bilateral trade between India and France in 2022-23 was $13.5 billion and this is expected to increase further as the two countries celebrate 26 years of their strategic partnership.“A major announcement is expected in the education sector. France has been encouraging Indian students to study in their universities and to make academic studies more attractive, many courses are being offered in English. Besides, under the migration and mobility partnership, extended visas for Indian students are also likely to be issued,” the source said.Discussions are likely to be held on the Jaitapur nuclear power plants in Maharashtra. Modi and Macron have met over four times in the last six months (during the PM’s visit to France on Bastille Day, the G20 Summit, COP 28 and the G20 Virtual Summit).
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