BBC NEWS | In Pictures | In pictures: Bastille Day parade

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13:23 GMT, Tuesday, 14 July 2009 14:23 UK

In pictures: Bastille Day parade

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France has been celebrating Bastille Day with a huge military parade down the Avenue des Champs-Elysees in Paris, involving thousands of marching soldiers and police, aircraft and hundreds of horsemen.

French mounted Republican Guards

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Bastille Day commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison in Paris in 1789, the event regarded as the start of the French Revolution.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Nicolas Sarkozy and Manmohan Singh

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Nicolas Sarkozy and Manmohan Singh

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Indian PM Manmohan Singh was one of the guests of honour of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, here with his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

Indian troops taking part in the Bastille Day parade

Indian troops taking part in the Bastille Day parade

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Dressed in uniforms of red and black headdresses, cummerbunds, and white puttees and gloves, Indian troops – drawn from the army, navy and air force - marched from the Arc de Triomphe past the presidential stand.

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They were followed by French and German members of Eurocorps, a multinational army corps that supports EU, Nato and UN operations.

Nicolas Sarkozy reviews French troops

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President Sarkozy called for investment in hi-tech weaponry and intelligence services. "Fewer men but better armed, more effective and more efficient," he said.

Pioneers of the French Foreign Legion

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Mr Sarkozy also addressed France's role in the conflict in Afghanistan, saying he wanted the country to regain its freedom.

A French flag is waved as fire engines go by during the parade

A French flag is waved as fire engines go by during the parade

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The national celebration will be capped off with a rock concert by veteran pop star Johnny Hallyday at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, and a huge firework display.

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