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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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