India, France united in fight against enemies of humanity: PM Modi

“A warm welcome to French President Hollande. We are honoured & delighted to have him as Chief Guest for Republic Day celebrations,” Prime Minister Modi said.

French president francois hollande arrives in chandigarh. Received by governor kaptan singh solanki @IndianExpress @tallstories

— Khushboo Sandhu (@khushboo_sandhu) January 24, 2016

Also read: Rafale jet deal on right track, says Hollande

Here are the updates:

French President François Hollande being received by Union Min. Prakash Javadekar at Air Force station Palam (Delhi) pic.twitter.com/YV5fTrhoUa

— ANI (@ANI_news) January 24, 2016

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8:10 pm: French President François Hollande being received by Union Min. Prakash Javadekar at Air Force station Palam (Delhi)

READ: Rock Garden creator’s son asked to leave before PM Modi’s arrival

6:30 pm: PM is visiting Punjab CM Shri Parkash Singh Badal at a hospital in Chandigarh to enquire about his health.

6:00 pm: Urbanisation is gaining pace in India and that is why are are working on Smart Cities Project: PM Modi

5:56 pm: President Hollande is correct that terrorism is a challenge, just like global warming: PM Modi

5:56 pm: World has accepted India as a good investment destination: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with French President Francois Hollande at Government Museum & Art Gallery in Chandigarh on Sunday. PTI Photo by Manvender Vashist

5:53 pm: In such a short span of time, India’s ‘Ease of Doing Business’ rankings improved substantially: PM Modi.

5:51 pm: The proximity between India and France will prove to be an asset in near future: PM Narendra Modi

5:50 pm: France has shown the way of combating terrorism without deviating from its principles and journey of progress-PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left and French President Francois Hollande greet each other at the Rock Garden in Chandigarh, India, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016. Hollande began a three-day visit to India on Sunday that could push a multibillion-dollar deal for combat airplanes and closer cooperation on counterterrorism and clean energy. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

5:48 pm: France showed resilience to the world after the Paris attacks, and it stayed its course on development and what it stands for: PM Modi

5:45 pm: France has an umbilical link with Chandigarh, says PM Narendra Modi while addressing the India-France Business Summit in Chandigarh.

5:45 pm:

Enthusiasm of President @fhollande to work with India is evident in his words: PM speaks at Business Summit https://t.co/SWsGSgvak6 @Elysee

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 24, 2016

5:45 pm: PM Modi addresses business summit in Chandigarh.

5:38 pm: My visit has 2 main goals -Consolidate strategic partnership with India & implement decisions taken during PM Modi’s visit to France: Hollande

5:30 pm: 16 B2B Agreements signed between French &Indian companies in presence of PM Modi & French President Francois Hollande.

France President Francois Hollande speaks at business summit.

5:28 pm: PM Narendra Modi played a decisive role at COP 21, says President François Hollande while addressing the CEO’s Forum a short while ago.

5:20 pm: India is the fastest growing economy in the world. We have the labour and the market for your products: PM Modi

5:15 pm: India is a source of hope and confidence for the entire world community: PM Modi at business summit.

5:05 pm:

PM and French president arrive for business summit @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/BR8sDWkA9L

— Man Aman Chhina (@manaman_chhina) January 24, 2016

Visit to the museum was to look at these fossils found by Indo-French team of scientists in the Shivalik foothill. Fossils said to be 2.6 million years old. (Source: Express Photo)

4:30 pm:

Getting to the economic deliberations…both leaders interact with the Indo-French CEO forum. @Elysee pic.twitter.com/69p9XEcv5z

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 24, 2016

4:20 pm:

Cementing a historical friendship… President @fhollande with PM @narendramodi in Chandigarh. @Elysee pic.twitter.com/EgHcufUv1h

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 24, 2016

4:12 pm: Hollande, Modi now headed to Taj for India-France CEOs meet and business forum

4:06 pm: 

4:03 pm:

PM Narendra Modi and French President François Hollande at Government Museum & Art Gallery in Chandigarh pic.twitter.com/1YvOMPhmki

— ANI (@ANI_news) January 24, 2016

4:00 pm: PM Modi and Hollande watch Bhangra.

3:55 pm:

Cultural performances at Government Museum & Art Gallery as PM Modi and French President François Hollande arrive pic.twitter.com/R0aJgA3mYF

— ANI (@ANI_news) January 24, 2016

3:50 pm: Hollande and Modi at the museum.

3:41 pm: PM Narendra Modi and French President François Hollande at Government Museum & Art Gallery.

Capitol Complex. (Source: Express Photo)

3:40 pm: List of MoUs and agreements to be signed in the India France business summit.

3:30 pm:

PM Narendra Modi and French President François Hollande at Capitol Complex in Chandigarh pic.twitter.com/4ffVatZxZ5

— ANI (@ANI_news) January 24, 2016

3:27 pm:

PM Narendra Modi and French President François Hollande arrive at Capitol Complex (Chandigarh) pic.twitter.com/qGznqoC4Kl

— ANI (@ANI_news) January 24, 2016

3:20 pm: Exit gate of Rock Garden closed for 30 minutes. 

Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi with French President François Hollande and other guest in front entry gate of Assembly Hall at Capitol Complex in Chandigarh on Sunday, January 24 2016. Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh

3:19 pm:

At the Rock Garden in Chandigarh. pic.twitter.com/WgnViQ8roN

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 24, 2016

3:19 pm: The leaders greeted each other with a hug before taking a round. They are now at Capitol Complex.

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar.

3:00 pm:

WATCH: French President François Hollande received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rock Garden of Chandigarh. https://t.co/GxH6AkTo0w

— ANI (@ANI_news) January 24, 2016

2:54 pm:

French President François Hollande arrives at Rock Garden of Chandigarh, meets PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/ezRjEgXaJO

— ANI (@ANI_news) January 24, 2016

2:51 pm:

PM Narendra Modi arrives at Rock Garden of Chandigarh pic.twitter.com/yltGtJv3RK

— ANI (@ANI_news) January 24, 2016

Performing folk artistes wait for Hollande’s arrival at the iconic Rock Garden. Express Photo

Hollande will go to Capitol Complex around 2:30 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive around 2:30 in the city and will meet French President at the Rock Garden, a sculpture park, around 2:45pm. Both the leaders will spend around 15 minute in the garden from where they will go to Government Museum and Art Gallery where some of the fossils found during excavation carried out by a joint team Indian and French scientists at foothills of Shivalik will be put on display.

Later in the evening, Hollande will fly to Delhi.

BJP workers gather at a traffic intersection in Chandigarh waiting to greet President Hollande. Express Photo

Traffic curbs

Traffic will be halted for some time Sunday on the roads the motorcade will pass through. After Hollande’s arrival at the Chandigarh airport around 1 pm, his motorcade will move towards the Tribune roundabout from where it will take a right turn towards the road leading to Transport Lightpoint. The motorcade will move on Madhya Marg towards Hotel Taj. Access to Madhya Marg will be restricted during that time. Traffic movement near Taj hotel and Sector 10 will be stopped on the main road when the French President will arrive in the city.

French president to address business summit at 5:10 pm. PM Modi to make his address at 5:20 pm. pic.twitter.com/6HBWEa42Do

— Man Aman Chhina (@manaman_chhina) January 24, 2016

Folk performances

The BJP will organise folk performances at four points on the route that is to be taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande. All the performers are volunteers who will undergo intensive security checks Sunday. Haryanavi, Punjabi and other folk performances will be organised.

BJP leaders to receive PM

BJP leaders from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh will receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Chandigarh Airport Sunday. Apart from MP Kirron Kher and Mayor Arun Sood, BJP city chief Sanjay Tandon, former Union Minister Harmohan Dhawan, former MP Satya Pal Jain, vice president of city BJP unit Raghubir Lal Arora and general secretaries Prem Kaushik and Chander Shekhar will receive the PM.

Security matters

Around 5,000 security personnel are guarding the city in view of the visit. These include personnel of SPG, ITBP and BSF apart from police personnel from Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

Hoardings with photographs of French President Francois Hollande and Narendra Modi displayed on the street light poles on Madhya Marg in Chandigarh. Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh

1,000 banners across city

Even as the Municipal Corporation does not allow a single banner to be installed in the city, for the visit of French President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, permission has been given for putting up 1,000 banners at various points across the city.

Joint commissioner Virender Chaudhary said officials from the Ministry of External Affairs had sought permission from the MC in this regard.

The boards that have pictures of Modi and Hollande at the entrance mention ‘Welcome’ and those at the exit say ‘Thank you.’ These words are written in French as well on alternate boards.

Publicly criticised by PM Modi for shutting down the city when he visited Chandigarh last September, the administration has been careful not to keep traffic off the roads. Vehicles are being allowed on one side of President Hollande’s route. Express Photo

(With ANI inputs)