New Delhi: India and France on Tuesday renewed a 10-year defense cooperation agreement, signed an agreement to manufacture French-origin missiles in the country, and announced an agreement for the mutual deployment of army officers, during talks between Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and his French counterpart, Catherine Vautrin, who chaired the sixth annual defense dialogue in Bengaluru.
The two leaders discussed a range of bilateral security and defense issues, including priority areas for joint development and joint production of military equipment, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement. “They emphasized the need for a closer defense partnership and linking industries in both countries, especially in the field of specialized technology,” she said in a statement.
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The dialogue came days after the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the purchase of military equipment worth… $3.6 lakh crore, including 114 Rafale fighter jets from France, which are expected to supply 18 aircraft in flying condition while the remaining 96 will be manufactured in India.
The proposed Rafale deal was discussed during the talks on Tuesday, and Singh pushed for maximum localization content in the fighters to be built in India, officials familiar with the matter said, requesting anonymity. The ongoing talks with France focus on indigenization of the Rafale aircraft to be manufactured in India, integration of indigenous weapons and other India-specific requirements. India is aiming for 50-60% local content in the region.
An actual deal is still a long way off, with the next steps including tendering, technical discussions, cost negotiations and final approval from the Ministerial Committee for Security. The acceptance of necessity (AoN) by the council on February 12 for the new fighters – and other weapons and systems – is the first step in the procurement process.
“The two ministers agreed to utilize this framework, both bilaterally and in the broader European context, to achieve tangible results that will enhance regional stability, enhance joint capabilities, and enhance lasting Indo-French strategic alignment,” the statement said.
The renewal of the defense agreement for 10 years came three months after the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) signed an agreement with the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) of France, to deepen cooperation in the field of defense research and development. The main areas of cooperation stipulated in this agreement include flight platforms, unmanned vehicles, advanced materials for defense applications, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, space, navigation, advanced propulsion, advanced sensors, underwater technologies and other areas of mutual interest.
A memorandum of understanding was also signed on a joint venture to manufacture Hummer missiles between the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bharat Electronics Limited and the Executive Vice President of Safran Electronics and Defense Company. Last year, BEL and Safran Electronics and Defense signed a Joint Venture Cooperation Agreement (JVCA) to produce the Hammer smart weapon (Highly Flexible Modular Ammunition with Extended Range) in India, in what was seen as a major impetus to the drive for self-reliance.
The Indian Air Force’s Rafale fighter jets are equipped with the Hammer precision-guided air-to-surface weapon, which was used during the four-day military standoff with Pakistan in May under Operation Sindoor.
On terrorism, Singh said Pakistan has a long history of sponsoring, nourishing and promoting cross-border terrorism to create unrest and violence in India. He added that this constitutes a serious threat to peace in the region.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron virtually inaugurated the final assembly line of the H-125 helicopters in Karnataka where Singh and Vautrin were present.
The H125 program represents an investment of over $Singh said that Rs 1,000 crore is likely to create direct and indirect employment opportunities for the skilled and hardworking young generation of India. “A large number of foreign companies are importing many components from Indian MSMEs. We call on companies to deepen this partnership through meaningful transfer of technology and provide advanced solutions to meet the security needs of other countries as well,” he said.
Airbus Helicopters has set up an H125 helicopter production line in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) at Vemagal in Karnataka, the fourth such facility in the world and India’s first helicopter final assembly line in the private sector.
The first H125 aircraft is expected to be rolled out from the facility in early 2027, and the India-made helicopters will be exported to South Asian countries as well. The final assembly line in India will initially produce 10 H125s per year, with production increasing as orders grow. Airbus has forecast a demand for 500 H125 light helicopters in the country and South Asia over the next 20 years.
The partnership between Airbus Helicopters and TASL to assemble H-125 helicopters in the country was announced in January 2024 during talks between Modi and Macron. The 2.8-tonne H125 can carry up to six passengers, flies at a maximum altitude of 23,000 feet, has a range of 630 kilometers and a top speed of 250 kilometers per hour. Suitable roles include commercial transportation, law enforcement, emergency medical services, disaster management, maritime industry and firefighting. These helicopters are currently produced only in France, the United States and Brazil.
