France is celebrating its national holiday on Friday with whizzing warplanes and a grand Bastille Day parade in Paris -- and over 100,000 police deployed around the country to prevent any outbreak of unrest in underprivileged neighborhoods. India is the guest of honor at this year's Bastille Day parade. Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined President Emmanuel Macron for the Bastille Day parade as part of French National Day celebrations as the Guest of Honour.

India is the guest of honor at this year's Bastille Day parade. Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined President Emmanuel Macron for the Bastille Day parade in Paris. The annual events celebrating the start of the French Revolution on July 14, 1789, come in the wake of the nation's most serious riots in nearly 20 years, following the fatal police shooting of a teen with North African roots that laid bare anger over entrenched inequality and racial discrimination.

About 240 Indian troops will lead the march down the Champs-Elysees before thousands of French forces, and French-made Indian warplanes will join the traditional flyby that wraps up the event.

Helicopter pilot of the Indian Air Force and Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy will led its marching contingent at the Bastille Day parade in Paris. Ahead of the parade, she said, "whatever you want, just go with it and don't let anyone tell you otherwise." The marching contingents of the Army, the Navy and the IAF participated in the prestigious parade along with their French counterparts.

France often showcases international partners on Bastille Day, and the choice of India comes as France looks to strengthen cooperation on fighting climate change, military sales and the strategic Indo-Pacific region. But human rights were missing from the vast agenda, despite concerns raised by European lawmakers, rights groups and others.

The French National Day, or Bastille Day, occupies a special place in the French consciousness as it commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison during the French Revolution in 1789. The Bastille Day parade is the highlight of the celebrations. A 269-member Indian tri-services contingent is participating in the parade. Three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) will also join the flypast on the occasion along with French jets.

The Indian Navy's indigenously designed and built guided missile destroyer INS Chennai is in France to participate in the Bastille Day celebrations. The Indian military contingent comprising all three services are participating in the Bastille Day celebrations in France.

"Indian Navy's indigenously designed and built guided missile destroyer INS Chennai is in Brest, France, to participate in the Bastille Day celebrations at Brest," a senior official said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a crowd ahead of Bastille Day celebrations in Paris. He is the guest of honour for France's National Day parade. An Indian tri-services marching contingent wowed the crowds during the parade. (Press Information Bureau via AP)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday joined French President Emmanuel Macron for the Bastille Day parade as the Guest of Honour with an Indian tri-services marching contingent wowing crowds here during the French National Day celebrations.