Chief of French Army Staff on India visit

General Jean-Pierre Bosser, Chief of Staff of the French Army, was on an official visit in India at the invitation of his Indian counterpart, General Dalbir Singh Suhag. Along with the Ambassador of France to India, H.E. François Richier, he participated in the commemorative event at India Gate organized by the Indian government to mark the centenary of the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, in the presence of the President of India, H.E. Shri Pranab Mukherjee.

This forms part of the French Government’s tribute to the sacrifice of Indian soldiers who lay down their lives for France’s freedom during World War I. Between 1914 to 1918, around 90,000 Indian soldiers fought on French soil, more than 8,500 of whom perished. The Battle of Neuve Chapelle, which took place in March 1915, remains etched in our memory as their most heroic feat.

Defence cooperation is an essential cornerstone of the strategic partnership that was concluded by France and India in 1998. It is founded on military cooperation between the army, the navy and the air force, and an ambitious cooperation on armaments. Since 2011, the French and Indian armies have been jointly conducting the bilateral exercise “Shakti”.

 For an overview of the commemorative events of the World War I Centenary being organized by France, please see: http://www.ambafrance-in.org/Centenary-of-World-War-I-1914-1918