Emmanuel Macron, as made his visit to India on the occasion of the country's national Republic Day holiday, on Friday January 26, seemed to be always thinking about – though never talking about – the farmers' protest movement in France.
No sooner had he arrived, just the day before, than the president's entourage had speculated that the trip might be cut short due to the crisis. However, this was not the case, and Macron spent 36 hours in one meeting after another organized on the occasion of Republic Day, of which he was the guest of honor. On Friday evening, just before boarding his plane, he took the time to visit a Sufi place of worship – in this country where the Muslim minority population is under threat – while back in France, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal was making initial announcements to address farmers' grievances.
Most of the trip was intended to be ceremonial, even at the risk of appearing out of step with the tense situation in France. On Friday morning, Macron arrived in a horse-drawn carriage to attend the military parade – featuring soldiers from the French Foreign Legion, who had been invited for the occasion. In the afternoon, in New Delhi, he appeared at a garden reception organized in the immense gardens of the Indian presidential palace, and later returned there for a brief state dinner.
The day before, in Jaipur, the president spent the afternoon at Amber Fort, a major tourist attraction of Rajasthan's capital. He then took part in a motorcade, riding in a pick-up truck alongside the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
Along the motorcade's route, his host, who has been campaigning for a third term in office, was acclaimed by thousands of his supporters. The two men and their entourages had dinner in a luxurious palace, a world away from the trials and tribulations of French political life.
The Elysée has claimed that it has been working to strengthen its strategic partnership with India in the fields of defense, spaceflight and nuclear power, although nothing concrete on these subjects has been announced. "Cooperation with India takes time, and this kind of visit serves to deepen exchanges," explained an advisor.
According to sources close to him, Macron was continually kept abreast of the situation in France, and he remained – unsurprisingly – involved in the discussions that were underway to find a response that would measure up to the farmers' demands. However, he had sought to give observers the impression that he was leaving Gabriel Attal – who was facing his first crisis as head of government – to hold the frontline. When questioned, Macron refused to comment, even unofficially. "It's normal that you should ask the question," he said, adding: "I'll have the occasion to say something [about it] later. Enjoy [your time] here!"