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00:00 Every day for five hours, troops from the Indian ground army, air force and navy rehearse
00:07 for the Bastille Day parade in Paris.
00:10 "We've been practicing for more than a month and we come early in the morning.
00:14 That is just to fine tune certain little things, but come 14th of July my men and my officers
00:22 will be ready as they already are."
00:27 The last time India's armed forces marched in the French capital was in 2009.
00:39 But it's the first time since 1916, during World War One, that the Punjab regiment has
00:45 taken part.
00:46 "Having the history of the Punjab regiment already participated back in 1916, this is
00:52 a good morale boost for me and my troops.
00:54 In our style of parade, the most important aspect is 'josh'.
00:58 Josh in English translates to fire, enthusiasm, zeal.
01:02 I feel that marching in France, this 'josh' will be nothing less than double."
01:09 A week before the big day, the Indian troops flew to Paris.
01:13 We met up with them as they were teaching a war cry to students from a French military
01:18 academy.
01:28 With nails on their boots for audio effect and an impressive hand swing, their style
01:33 of parade is different from the French troops.
01:36 "Look straight and thereafter it's just a matter of... and just like that.
01:49 Quite easy actually.
01:51 A lot of times we have been approached by French almost in a sense of bewilderment
01:57 as to how you are able to even achieve that.
02:00 We are able to achieve that because it is a part of our basic training.
02:04 It's not something that we have practiced new for this parade.
02:07 This is how we march.
02:08 So it comes naturally to us."
02:10 India has imported weapons and military hardware from France for decades.
02:15 In the last five years, France has become its second largest supplier.
02:20 Russia is in first place, the United States in third.
02:24 "Hi, bonjour.
02:25 Hello.
02:26 Hi, how are you all?
02:29 Good?
02:30 Yeah.
02:31 I heard that some of you are going to be future pilots and all of you are in the Air
02:34 Force.
02:35 It's nice to meet Air Force to Air Force.
02:38 So I have flown a French helicopter.
02:42 Do you know Aerospatiale Alouette?
02:44 Alouette 3?
02:45 Alouette, yes.
02:46 I have flown that for 1,200 hours.
02:52 India is the largest importer of arms in the world.
02:55 Its strategy is to buy from a diverse range of suppliers.
02:59 "How the French people believe in solidarity, fraternity.
03:03 India also believes in a concept called 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbam' that also means 'world is one
03:07 family'.
03:08 So to build our own family, make it one huge family, it is very important for us to work
03:14 together with as many people as possible."
03:18 The Indian troops are leading the Bastille Day parade, with zeal and plenty of josh.
03:25 (shouting)
03:27 Happy New Year!