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    EYE ON INDIA                                                       FEBRUARY 27, 2026       |  The Indian Eye                    6

                           India-France Defence Ties Soar:

             Rafale, Strategic Autonomy and the Next

                              Phase of Military Cooperation

               From Rafale co-production to missile manufacturing, New Delhi and Paris deepen a

                        defence partnership built on technology transfer and strategic autonomy.

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                                The leaders also welcomed the
                                                                                                                  continuation of submarine coopera-
            Mumbai
                                                                                                                  tion following the delivery of the sixth
                 rance  and  India  have  signifi-                                                                Scorpène-class submarine under the
                 cantly expanded their defence                                                                    Kalvari (P75) programme in Janu-
            Fpartnership, with French Pres-                                                                       ary 2025. The programme stands as
            ident Emmanuel Macron hailing the                                                                     a  flagship  example  of  technology
            relationship as a “sovereign alliance”                                                                transfer and local manufacturing in
            in which the two nations have “cho-                                                                   India’s naval modernisation.
            sen each other on land, at sea, and in                                                                    In aerospace manufacturing, the
            the sky.”                                                                                             partnership is expanding through
                The statement comes amid a                                                                        joint ventures and maintenance fa-
            series of high-level defence engage-                                                                  cilities. The inauguration of Mainte-
            ments, including the signing of Mem-                                                                  nance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO)
            orandums of Understanding (MoUs)                                                                      facilities for LEAP engines and M-88
            on the production of HAMMER                                                                           engines mounted on Rafale aircraft
            missiles in India and the renewal of                                                                  strengthens India’s self-reliance in
            a 10-year defence cooperation agree-                                                                  lifecycle  support.  The  Safran-HAL
            ment. At the heart of the evolving                                                                    collaboration  on the Indian  Multi-
            partnership, however, lies a deepen-                                                                  Role Helicopter (IMRH) and the
            ing collaboration around the Rafale   French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a plenary speech during the opening ceremony   establishment  of  a  Joint  Venture
            fighter jet programme — a symbol of   of AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, in New Delhi (DPR PMO/ANI Photo)  with Bharat Electronics Limited to
            India-France strategic convergence.                                                                   produce HAMMER missiles in In-
                Addressing the India-France In-                                                                   dia further underscore the industrial
            novation Forum, Macron described   tion Council (DAC), led by Defence   regional dynamics. “India will need   depth of cooperation.
            France as a steadfast partner in In-  Minister Rajnath Singh, has ap-  combat aviation. This is the direction   Strategically,  the  India-France
            dia’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, par-  proved the acquisition of 114 Rafale   of history,” he added.  defence axis reflects a shared belief
            ticularly in the defence sector.  Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA)    For New Delhi, co-production is   in  autonomy in a multipolar world.
                “In the field of defence, France is   for the Indian Air Force — a move   not merely about numbers but about   Macron spoke of forging a roadmap
            a steadfast partner of Make in India.   that could transform India’s combat   strategic autonomy. Defence Secre-  “distinct from hegemony,” while also
            Our high-level cooperation allows us   aviation landscape.          tary Rajesh Kumar Singh earlier not-  urging European nations to consoli-
            to develop next-generation engines,   Significantly,  the  next  phase  of   ed that the MRFA programme would   date their defence industries and de-
            multi-role helicopters, advanced   the Rafale partnership goes beyond   mark the first time Rafales are man-  velop common standards to remain
            combat aircraft, submarines, etc.   procurement. Macron acknowledged   ufactured outside France, with 40 to   globally competitive.
            And I want to thank you warmly for   India’s ambition to co-produce Ra-  50 per cent localisation under the   For India, the Rafale and broad-
            the extraordinary confidence you’ve   fale jets and handle more mainte-  ‘Make in India’ framework. The gov-  er defence engagements signal a
            placed in this partnership. And this   nance domestically, calling it a “legit-  ernment-to-government agreement   calibrated  balance:  diversifying
            is not just a defence contract, but a   imate” aspiration aligned with “the   model, he said, ensures transparen-  partnerships, enhancing indigenous
            series of defence contracts. We speak   direction of history.”      cy and allows integration of Indian   manufacturing,  and  embedding
            about what a sovereign alliance is.   “The Indians, who are currently   weapons and systems onto the air-  technology transfer into every major
            Two great nations choosing each oth-  customers, want to co-produce with   craft — a key capability in strengthen-  acquisition. For France, India rep-
            er on land, at sea, and in the sky, not   us; we have seen the Rafale here, but   ing indigenous defence ecosystems.  resents not just a major market, but
            by default but by conviction,” Ma-  they want to co-produce combat air-  Beyond Rafale, the defence part-  a long-term strategic partner with
            cron said.                        craft in India. They want to handle   nership spans submarines, missiles,   growing geopolitical weight.
                The Rafale programme exem-    more of the maintenance, which is le-  helicopters and engine development.   As both countries launch the
            plifies this approach. Prime Minister   gitimate,” Macron said while speak-  The two sides renewed their defence   Year of Innovation 2026 and deep-
            Narendra Modi and President Ma-   ing to French media on the sidelines   cooperation  agreement  for  another   en ties across AI, space and defence,
            cron recently commended the con-  of the AI-India Impact Summit.    decade during the 6th India-France   the Rafale programme stands as the
            tract  to  procure  26  Rafale  Marine   Looking ahead to 2040 and   Annual Defence Dialogue in Benga-  centrepiece of a partnership that in-
            fighter jets for the Indian Navy, fur-  2050, he stressed that India’s need   luru, co-chaired by Defence Minister   creasingly  defines  not  just  military
            ther  expanding  India’s  Rafale  fleet.   for advanced combat aviation would   Rajnath Singh and French Armed   cooperation, but a shared vision  of
            In parallel, India’s Defence Acquisi-  only grow, particularly amid evolving   Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin.  strategic sovereignty.

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