New Delhi: India and France have decided to take their defence and security ties to the next level by planning to manufacture and export defence items to “friendly countries” even as New Delhi and Paris have planned to work towards “securitization of strategic sea lanes of communication”, according to the joint statement issued after bilateral meetings between French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Following a one-on-one meeting between both the leaders that was preceded by a round of delegation-level talks, both countries have decided to make India “a base for the manufacture and export of defence equipment for friendly countries in the region”, the joint statement said. This is part of the Roadmap for India-France Defence Industrial Partnership, signed between both sides during the visit of President Macron to India. Macron was on a two-day visit to India where he visited Jaipur and New Delhi. The French President was Chief Guest for 75th Republic Day celebrations.
India and France Friday also signed a ‘Letter of Intent’ between the Ministry of Defence, Government of India and the Ministry for the Armed Forces, French Republic on Defence Space Partnership.
“The two countries have agreed to adopt a defence production roadmap. Now, the name itself is very clear that the focus and the priority of defence cooperation through this roadmap is to actually identify opportunities for partnership in the defence industrial sector that prioritize co-designing, co-development, co-production, and also building the defence supply chains between the two countries, so that they can not only fulfill the defence needs of India and France, but also can be a useful contributor to the security partnership with other countries who might be in use of similar products,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said at a news conference Friday.
He also said, “In terms of the range of domains, including the technology space that the industrial roadmap will aim to achieve, it would include both air and space technologies, maritime technology; including the underwater domain awareness, it’s a new space which is coming up; naturally, the equipment and the systems related to the land warfare, and also robotics and artificial intelligence as also autonomous vehicles and platforms, and cyber defence.”
“So the focus of conversation, and this flows from what the two countries agreed in the 2047 Horizon Vision document, is to focus on defence production and manufacturing in a manner that you can harness the compatibilities and competencies which the two economies have, and the two engineering systems have, and then use it to further strengthen your defence cooperation,” said Kwatra.
India, France ‘Concerned’ Over Red Sea Tensions
With tensions escalating over attacks on merchant ships traversing the Red Sea by Houthis, India and France have expressed concerns over the conflict expanding that has the potential to adversely impact global commerce.
“They (India and France) also expressed grave concern at the possibility of further expansion of the conflict in the region, including in the Red Sea, which already has a significant economic impact in the world. They recalled the utmost importance of upholding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and of respecting the international law of the sea,” said the joint statement.
It added, “Prime Minister Modi and President Macron reiterated commitment to further deepen the long-standing partnership between the two countries, based on their common vision for the Indo-Pacific region. The leaders emphasized the region’s significance for their respective sovereign and strategic interests.”
They also acknowledged the crucial role of their partnership in the region for the advancement of a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific and beyond. Referring to the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Indo-Pacific, which was finalised in July 2023, they expressed satisfaction at the expanding nature of their engagement in the region.
On December 18, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian aimed to prevent the Houthis from attacking ships traversing off the coast of Yemen. Under this, the US along with the UK have launched a military assault in Yemen to specifically target Houthi bases there. However, France, along with Spain and Italy have stayed away from the operation.
Procurement of Rafale-M, Scorpene Submarines Discussed
Discussions were also held between both sides on speeding up the price negotiations for the purchase of 26 Rafale (Marine) fighter jets and three Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy. However, India sought to downplay the deals even as the purchases were mentioned in the 2047 Global Vision document, which was agreed upon during Modi’s visit to France in July 2023.
“On the marine part of the Rafale aircraft, those came up during the 2047 Global Vision document also … The visits are not focused on individual transactions. I have mentioned several times that the India-France strategic partnership, when that strategic partnership looks at defence cooperation, and security cooperation, it looks at it from a very holistic perspective, one; it looks at it a perspective that how it strengthens the sovereignty and the strategic security space between the two countries,” said Kwatra.
Macron, who first landed in Jaipur Thursday before coming to New Delhi, was accompanied by a 40-member delegation which included Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu and Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné.
During the two-day visit, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi held one-on-one meetings alone which was preceded by delegation-level talks.
“In the broader context of the ambitious collaboration, and as more detailed in the industrial roadmap, they welcomed the progress in the establishment of the MRO for LEAP engines in India by Safran and the plans to add MRO for Rafale engines, a comprehensive helicopter partnership with a Joint Venture for IMRH engine between HAL and Safran, and the Scorpene submarines constructed in India, including indigenisation,” said the joint statement.
Intelligence Sharing From ‘Seabed to Space’
Both sides also decided to enhance cooperation in space through co-development, manufacture and launch of satellites and payloads, research in new launch vehicle technologies and reusable launch vehicles and connecting the startups and users in both countries. They agreed to take full advantage of the opportunities in the space sector in both countries.
For this purpose, both sides have also established Strategic Space Dialogue, launched in June 2023 to provide strategic guidance and direction across all aspects of space cooperation.
Both leaders also welcomed the formalisation of cooperation between the National Security Guard (NSG) of India and the Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale (GIGN) for agency-level cooperation in the field of counterterrorism. India and France are witnessing greater intelligence cooperation under the Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism.
“They (India and France) lauded the all-round progress in defence and security partnership, which is a principal pillar of the partnership and a source of strengthening their countries’ sovereignty and strategic autonomy, and for advancing peace in the region. It extends from intelligence and information exchange to exercises and equipment and across all domains from the seabed to space,” said the joint statement.
New Delhi: India and France have decided to take their defence and security ties to the next level by planning to manufacture and export defence items to “friendly countries” even as New Delhi and Paris have planned to work towards “securitization of strategic sea lanes of communication”, according to the joint statement issued after bilateral meetings between French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Following a one-on-one meeting between both the leaders that was preceded by a round of delegation-level talks, both countries have decided to make India “a base for the manufacture and export of defence equipment for friendly countries in the region”, the joint statement said. This is part of the Roadmap for India-France Defence Industrial Partnership, signed between both sides during the visit of President Macron to India. Macron was on a two-day visit to India where he visited Jaipur and New Delhi. The French President was Chief Guest for 75th Republic Day celebrations.
India and France Friday also signed a ‘Letter of Intent’ between the Ministry of Defence, Government of India and the Ministry for the Armed Forces, French Republic on Defence Space Partnership.
“The two countries have agreed to adopt a defence production roadmap. Now, the name itself is very clear that the focus and the priority of defence cooperation through this roadmap is to actually identify opportunities for partnership in the defence industrial sector that prioritize co-designing, co-development, co-production, and also building the defence supply chains between the two countries, so that they can not only fulfill the defence needs of India and France, but also can be a useful contributor to the security partnership with other countries who might be in use of similar products,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said at a news conference Friday.
He also said, “In terms of the range of domains, including the technology space that the industrial roadmap will aim to achieve, it would include both air and space technologies, maritime technology; including the underwater domain awareness, it’s a new space which is coming up; naturally, the equipment and the systems related to the land warfare, and also robotics and artificial intelligence as also autonomous vehicles and platforms, and cyber defence.”
“So the focus of conversation, and this flows from what the two countries agreed in the 2047 Horizon Vision document, is to focus on defence production and manufacturing in a manner that you can harness the compatibilities and competencies which the two economies have, and the two engineering systems have, and then use it to further strengthen your defence cooperation,” said Kwatra.
India, France ‘Concerned’ Over Red Sea Tensions
With tensions escalating over attacks on merchant ships traversing the Red Sea by Houthis, India and France have expressed concerns over the conflict expanding that has the potential to adversely impact global commerce.
“They (India and France) also expressed grave concern at the possibility of further expansion of the conflict in the region, including in the Red Sea, which already has a significant economic impact in the world. They recalled the utmost importance of upholding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and of respecting the international law of the sea,” said the joint statement.
It added, “Prime Minister Modi and President Macron reiterated commitment to further deepen the long-standing partnership between the two countries, based on their common vision for the Indo-Pacific region. The leaders emphasized the region’s significance for their respective sovereign and strategic interests.”
They also acknowledged the crucial role of their partnership in the region for the advancement of a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific and beyond. Referring to the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Indo-Pacific, which was finalised in July 2023, they expressed satisfaction at the expanding nature of their engagement in the region.
On December 18, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian aimed to prevent the Houthis from attacking ships traversing off the coast of Yemen. Under this, the US along with the UK have launched a military assault in Yemen to specifically target Houthi bases there. However, France, along with Spain and Italy have stayed away from the operation.
Procurement of Rafale-M, Scorpene Submarines Discussed
Discussions were also held between both sides on speeding up the price negotiations for the purchase of 26 Rafale (Marine) fighter jets and three Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy. However, India sought to downplay the deals even as the purchases were mentioned in the 2047 Global Vision document, which was agreed upon during Modi’s visit to France in July 2023.
“On the marine part of the Rafale aircraft, those came up during the 2047 Global Vision document also … The visits are not focused on individual transactions. I have mentioned several times that the India-France strategic partnership, when that strategic partnership looks at defence cooperation, and security cooperation, it looks at it from a very holistic perspective, one; it looks at it a perspective that how it strengthens the sovereignty and the strategic security space between the two countries,” said Kwatra.
Macron, who first landed in Jaipur Thursday before coming to New Delhi, was accompanied by a 40-member delegation which included Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu and Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné.
During the two-day visit, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi held one-on-one meetings alone which was preceded by delegation-level talks.
“In the broader context of the ambitious collaboration, and as more detailed in the industrial roadmap, they welcomed the progress in the establishment of the MRO for LEAP engines in India by Safran and the plans to add MRO for Rafale engines, a comprehensive helicopter partnership with a Joint Venture for IMRH engine between HAL and Safran, and the Scorpene submarines constructed in India, including indigenisation,” said the joint statement.
Intelligence Sharing From ‘Seabed to Space’
Both sides also decided to enhance cooperation in space through co-development, manufacture and launch of satellites and payloads, research in new launch vehicle technologies and reusable launch vehicles and connecting the startups and users in both countries. They agreed to take full advantage of the opportunities in the space sector in both countries.
For this purpose, both sides have also established Strategic Space Dialogue, launched in June 2023 to provide strategic guidance and direction across all aspects of space cooperation.
Both leaders also welcomed the formalisation of cooperation between the National Security Guard (NSG) of India and the Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale (GIGN) for agency-level cooperation in the field of counterterrorism. India and France are witnessing greater intelligence cooperation under the Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism.
“They (India and France) lauded the all-round progress in defence and security partnership, which is a principal pillar of the partnership and a source of strengthening their countries’ sovereignty and strategic autonomy, and for advancing peace in the region. It extends from intelligence and information exchange to exercises and equipment and across all domains from the seabed to space,” said the joint statement.
New Delhi: India and France have decided to take their defence and security ties to the next level by planning to manufacture and export defence items to “friendly countries” even as New Delhi and Paris have planned to work towards “securitization of strategic sea lanes of communication”, according to the joint statement issued after bilateral meetings between French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Following a one-on-one meeting between both the leaders that was preceded by a round of delegation-level talks, both countries have decided to make India “a base for the manufacture and export of defence equipment for friendly countries in the region”, the joint statement said. This is part of the Roadmap for India-France Defence Industrial Partnership, signed between both sides during the visit of President Macron to India. Macron was on a two-day visit to India where he visited Jaipur and New Delhi. The French President was Chief Guest for 75th Republic Day celebrations.
India and France Friday also signed a ‘Letter of Intent’ between the Ministry of Defence, Government of India and the Ministry for the Armed Forces, French Republic on Defence Space Partnership.
“The two countries have agreed to adopt a defence production roadmap. Now, the name itself is very clear that the focus and the priority of defence cooperation through this roadmap is to actually identify opportunities for partnership in the defence industrial sector that prioritize co-designing, co-development, co-production, and also building the defence supply chains between the two countries, so that they can not only fulfill the defence needs of India and France, but also can be a useful contributor to the security partnership with other countries who might be in use of similar products,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said at a news conference Friday.
He also said, “In terms of the range of domains, including the technology space that the industrial roadmap will aim to achieve, it would include both air and space technologies, maritime technology; including the underwater domain awareness, it’s a new space which is coming up; naturally, the equipment and the systems related to the land warfare, and also robotics and artificial intelligence as also autonomous vehicles and platforms, and cyber defence.”
“So the focus of conversation, and this flows from what the two countries agreed in the 2047 Horizon Vision document, is to focus on defence production and manufacturing in a manner that you can harness the compatibilities and competencies which the two economies have, and the two engineering systems have, and then use it to further strengthen your defence cooperation,” said Kwatra.
India, France ‘Concerned’ Over Red Sea Tensions
With tensions escalating over attacks on merchant ships traversing the Red Sea by Houthis, India and France have expressed concerns over the conflict expanding that has the potential to adversely impact global commerce.
“They (India and France) also expressed grave concern at the possibility of further expansion of the conflict in the region, including in the Red Sea, which already has a significant economic impact in the world. They recalled the utmost importance of upholding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and of respecting the international law of the sea,” said the joint statement.
It added, “Prime Minister Modi and President Macron reiterated commitment to further deepen the long-standing partnership between the two countries, based on their common vision for the Indo-Pacific region. The leaders emphasized the region’s significance for their respective sovereign and strategic interests.”
They also acknowledged the crucial role of their partnership in the region for the advancement of a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific and beyond. Referring to the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Indo-Pacific, which was finalised in July 2023, they expressed satisfaction at the expanding nature of their engagement in the region.
On December 18, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian aimed to prevent the Houthis from attacking ships traversing off the coast of Yemen. Under this, the US along with the UK have launched a military assault in Yemen to specifically target Houthi bases there. However, France, along with Spain and Italy have stayed away from the operation.
Procurement of Rafale-M, Scorpene Submarines Discussed
Discussions were also held between both sides on speeding up the price negotiations for the purchase of 26 Rafale (Marine) fighter jets and three Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy. However, India sought to downplay the deals even as the purchases were mentioned in the 2047 Global Vision document, which was agreed upon during Modi’s visit to France in July 2023.
“On the marine part of the Rafale aircraft, those came up during the 2047 Global Vision document also … The visits are not focused on individual transactions. I have mentioned several times that the India-France strategic partnership, when that strategic partnership looks at defence cooperation, and security cooperation, it looks at it from a very holistic perspective, one; it looks at it a perspective that how it strengthens the sovereignty and the strategic security space between the two countries,” said Kwatra.
Macron, who first landed in Jaipur Thursday before coming to New Delhi, was accompanied by a 40-member delegation which included Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu and Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné.
During the two-day visit, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi held one-on-one meetings alone which was preceded by delegation-level talks.
“In the broader context of the ambitious collaboration, and as more detailed in the industrial roadmap, they welcomed the progress in the establishment of the MRO for LEAP engines in India by Safran and the plans to add MRO for Rafale engines, a comprehensive helicopter partnership with a Joint Venture for IMRH engine between HAL and Safran, and the Scorpene submarines constructed in India, including indigenisation,” said the joint statement.
Intelligence Sharing From ‘Seabed to Space’
Both sides also decided to enhance cooperation in space through co-development, manufacture and launch of satellites and payloads, research in new launch vehicle technologies and reusable launch vehicles and connecting the startups and users in both countries. They agreed to take full advantage of the opportunities in the space sector in both countries.
For this purpose, both sides have also established Strategic Space Dialogue, launched in June 2023 to provide strategic guidance and direction across all aspects of space cooperation.
Both leaders also welcomed the formalisation of cooperation between the National Security Guard (NSG) of India and the Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale (GIGN) for agency-level cooperation in the field of counterterrorism. India and France are witnessing greater intelligence cooperation under the Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism.
“They (India and France) lauded the all-round progress in defence and security partnership, which is a principal pillar of the partnership and a source of strengthening their countries’ sovereignty and strategic autonomy, and for advancing peace in the region. It extends from intelligence and information exchange to exercises and equipment and across all domains from the seabed to space,” said the joint statement.
New Delhi: India and France have decided to take their defence and security ties to the next level by planning to manufacture and export defence items to “friendly countries” even as New Delhi and Paris have planned to work towards “securitization of strategic sea lanes of communication”, according to the joint statement issued after bilateral meetings between French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Following a one-on-one meeting between both the leaders that was preceded by a round of delegation-level talks, both countries have decided to make India “a base for the manufacture and export of defence equipment for friendly countries in the region”, the joint statement said. This is part of the Roadmap for India-France Defence Industrial Partnership, signed between both sides during the visit of President Macron to India. Macron was on a two-day visit to India where he visited Jaipur and New Delhi. The French President was Chief Guest for 75th Republic Day celebrations.
India and France Friday also signed a ‘Letter of Intent’ between the Ministry of Defence, Government of India and the Ministry for the Armed Forces, French Republic on Defence Space Partnership.
“The two countries have agreed to adopt a defence production roadmap. Now, the name itself is very clear that the focus and the priority of defence cooperation through this roadmap is to actually identify opportunities for partnership in the defence industrial sector that prioritize co-designing, co-development, co-production, and also building the defence supply chains between the two countries, so that they can not only fulfill the defence needs of India and France, but also can be a useful contributor to the security partnership with other countries who might be in use of similar products,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said at a news conference Friday.
He also said, “In terms of the range of domains, including the technology space that the industrial roadmap will aim to achieve, it would include both air and space technologies, maritime technology; including the underwater domain awareness, it’s a new space which is coming up; naturally, the equipment and the systems related to the land warfare, and also robotics and artificial intelligence as also autonomous vehicles and platforms, and cyber defence.”
“So the focus of conversation, and this flows from what the two countries agreed in the 2047 Horizon Vision document, is to focus on defence production and manufacturing in a manner that you can harness the compatibilities and competencies which the two economies have, and the two engineering systems have, and then use it to further strengthen your defence cooperation,” said Kwatra.
India, France ‘Concerned’ Over Red Sea Tensions
With tensions escalating over attacks on merchant ships traversing the Red Sea by Houthis, India and France have expressed concerns over the conflict expanding that has the potential to adversely impact global commerce.
“They (India and France) also expressed grave concern at the possibility of further expansion of the conflict in the region, including in the Red Sea, which already has a significant economic impact in the world. They recalled the utmost importance of upholding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and of respecting the international law of the sea,” said the joint statement.
It added, “Prime Minister Modi and President Macron reiterated commitment to further deepen the long-standing partnership between the two countries, based on their common vision for the Indo-Pacific region. The leaders emphasized the region’s significance for their respective sovereign and strategic interests.”
They also acknowledged the crucial role of their partnership in the region for the advancement of a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific and beyond. Referring to the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Indo-Pacific, which was finalised in July 2023, they expressed satisfaction at the expanding nature of their engagement in the region.
On December 18, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian aimed to prevent the Houthis from attacking ships traversing off the coast of Yemen. Under this, the US along with the UK have launched a military assault in Yemen to specifically target Houthi bases there. However, France, along with Spain and Italy have stayed away from the operation.
Procurement of Rafale-M, Scorpene Submarines Discussed
Discussions were also held between both sides on speeding up the price negotiations for the purchase of 26 Rafale (Marine) fighter jets and three Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy. However, India sought to downplay the deals even as the purchases were mentioned in the 2047 Global Vision document, which was agreed upon during Modi’s visit to France in July 2023.
“On the marine part of the Rafale aircraft, those came up during the 2047 Global Vision document also … The visits are not focused on individual transactions. I have mentioned several times that the India-France strategic partnership, when that strategic partnership looks at defence cooperation, and security cooperation, it looks at it from a very holistic perspective, one; it looks at it a perspective that how it strengthens the sovereignty and the strategic security space between the two countries,” said Kwatra.
Macron, who first landed in Jaipur Thursday before coming to New Delhi, was accompanied by a 40-member delegation which included Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu and Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné.
During the two-day visit, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi held one-on-one meetings alone which was preceded by delegation-level talks.
“In the broader context of the ambitious collaboration, and as more detailed in the industrial roadmap, they welcomed the progress in the establishment of the MRO for LEAP engines in India by Safran and the plans to add MRO for Rafale engines, a comprehensive helicopter partnership with a Joint Venture for IMRH engine between HAL and Safran, and the Scorpene submarines constructed in India, including indigenisation,” said the joint statement.
Intelligence Sharing From ‘Seabed to Space’
Both sides also decided to enhance cooperation in space through co-development, manufacture and launch of satellites and payloads, research in new launch vehicle technologies and reusable launch vehicles and connecting the startups and users in both countries. They agreed to take full advantage of the opportunities in the space sector in both countries.
For this purpose, both sides have also established Strategic Space Dialogue, launched in June 2023 to provide strategic guidance and direction across all aspects of space cooperation.
Both leaders also welcomed the formalisation of cooperation between the National Security Guard (NSG) of India and the Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale (GIGN) for agency-level cooperation in the field of counterterrorism. India and France are witnessing greater intelligence cooperation under the Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism.
“They (India and France) lauded the all-round progress in defence and security partnership, which is a principal pillar of the partnership and a source of strengthening their countries’ sovereignty and strategic autonomy, and for advancing peace in the region. It extends from intelligence and information exchange to exercises and equipment and across all domains from the seabed to space,” said the joint statement.
New Delhi: India and France have decided to take their defence and security ties to the next level by planning to manufacture and export defence items to “friendly countries” even as New Delhi and Paris have planned to work towards “securitization of strategic sea lanes of communication”, according to the joint statement issued after bilateral meetings between French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Following a one-on-one meeting between both the leaders that was preceded by a round of delegation-level talks, both countries have decided to make India “a base for the manufacture and export of defence equipment for friendly countries in the region”, the joint statement said. This is part of the Roadmap for India-France Defence Industrial Partnership, signed between both sides during the visit of President Macron to India. Macron was on a two-day visit to India where he visited Jaipur and New Delhi. The French President was Chief Guest for 75th Republic Day celebrations.
India and France Friday also signed a ‘Letter of Intent’ between the Ministry of Defence, Government of India and the Ministry for the Armed Forces, French Republic on Defence Space Partnership.
“The two countries have agreed to adopt a defence production roadmap. Now, the name itself is very clear that the focus and the priority of defence cooperation through this roadmap is to actually identify opportunities for partnership in the defence industrial sector that prioritize co-designing, co-development, co-production, and also building the defence supply chains between the two countries, so that they can not only fulfill the defence needs of India and France, but also can be a useful contributor to the security partnership with other countries who might be in use of similar products,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said at a news conference Friday.
He also said, “In terms of the range of domains, including the technology space that the industrial roadmap will aim to achieve, it would include both air and space technologies, maritime technology; including the underwater domain awareness, it’s a new space which is coming up; naturally, the equipment and the systems related to the land warfare, and also robotics and artificial intelligence as also autonomous vehicles and platforms, and cyber defence.”
“So the focus of conversation, and this flows from what the two countries agreed in the 2047 Horizon Vision document, is to focus on defence production and manufacturing in a manner that you can harness the compatibilities and competencies which the two economies have, and the two engineering systems have, and then use it to further strengthen your defence cooperation,” said Kwatra.
India, France ‘Concerned’ Over Red Sea Tensions
With tensions escalating over attacks on merchant ships traversing the Red Sea by Houthis, India and France have expressed concerns over the conflict expanding that has the potential to adversely impact global commerce.
“They (India and France) also expressed grave concern at the possibility of further expansion of the conflict in the region, including in the Red Sea, which already has a significant economic impact in the world. They recalled the utmost importance of upholding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and of respecting the international law of the sea,” said the joint statement.
It added, “Prime Minister Modi and President Macron reiterated commitment to further deepen the long-standing partnership between the two countries, based on their common vision for the Indo-Pacific region. The leaders emphasized the region’s significance for their respective sovereign and strategic interests.”
They also acknowledged the crucial role of their partnership in the region for the advancement of a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific and beyond. Referring to the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Indo-Pacific, which was finalised in July 2023, they expressed satisfaction at the expanding nature of their engagement in the region.
On December 18, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian aimed to prevent the Houthis from attacking ships traversing off the coast of Yemen. Under this, the US along with the UK have launched a military assault in Yemen to specifically target Houthi bases there. However, France, along with Spain and Italy have stayed away from the operation.
Procurement of Rafale-M, Scorpene Submarines Discussed
Discussions were also held between both sides on speeding up the price negotiations for the purchase of 26 Rafale (Marine) fighter jets and three Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy. However, India sought to downplay the deals even as the purchases were mentioned in the 2047 Global Vision document, which was agreed upon during Modi’s visit to France in July 2023.
“On the marine part of the Rafale aircraft, those came up during the 2047 Global Vision document also … The visits are not focused on individual transactions. I have mentioned several times that the India-France strategic partnership, when that strategic partnership looks at defence cooperation, and security cooperation, it looks at it from a very holistic perspective, one; it looks at it a perspective that how it strengthens the sovereignty and the strategic security space between the two countries,” said Kwatra.
Macron, who first landed in Jaipur Thursday before coming to New Delhi, was accompanied by a 40-member delegation which included Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu and Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné.
During the two-day visit, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi held one-on-one meetings alone which was preceded by delegation-level talks.
“In the broader context of the ambitious collaboration, and as more detailed in the industrial roadmap, they welcomed the progress in the establishment of the MRO for LEAP engines in India by Safran and the plans to add MRO for Rafale engines, a comprehensive helicopter partnership with a Joint Venture for IMRH engine between HAL and Safran, and the Scorpene submarines constructed in India, including indigenisation,” said the joint statement.
Intelligence Sharing From ‘Seabed to Space’
Both sides also decided to enhance cooperation in space through co-development, manufacture and launch of satellites and payloads, research in new launch vehicle technologies and reusable launch vehicles and connecting the startups and users in both countries. They agreed to take full advantage of the opportunities in the space sector in both countries.
For this purpose, both sides have also established Strategic Space Dialogue, launched in June 2023 to provide strategic guidance and direction across all aspects of space cooperation.
Both leaders also welcomed the formalisation of cooperation between the National Security Guard (NSG) of India and the Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale (GIGN) for agency-level cooperation in the field of counterterrorism. India and France are witnessing greater intelligence cooperation under the Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism.
“They (India and France) lauded the all-round progress in defence and security partnership, which is a principal pillar of the partnership and a source of strengthening their countries’ sovereignty and strategic autonomy, and for advancing peace in the region. It extends from intelligence and information exchange to exercises and equipment and across all domains from the seabed to space,” said the joint statement.
New Delhi: India and France have decided to take their defence and security ties to the next level by planning to manufacture and export defence items to “friendly countries” even as New Delhi and Paris have planned to work towards “securitization of strategic sea lanes of communication”, according to the joint statement issued after bilateral meetings between French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Following a one-on-one meeting between both the leaders that was preceded by a round of delegation-level talks, both countries have decided to make India “a base for the manufacture and export of defence equipment for friendly countries in the region”, the joint statement said. This is part of the Roadmap for India-France Defence Industrial Partnership, signed between both sides during the visit of President Macron to India. Macron was on a two-day visit to India where he visited Jaipur and New Delhi. The French President was Chief Guest for 75th Republic Day celebrations.
India and France Friday also signed a ‘Letter of Intent’ between the Ministry of Defence, Government of India and the Ministry for the Armed Forces, French Republic on Defence Space Partnership.
“The two countries have agreed to adopt a defence production roadmap. Now, the name itself is very clear that the focus and the priority of defence cooperation through this roadmap is to actually identify opportunities for partnership in the defence industrial sector that prioritize co-designing, co-development, co-production, and also building the defence supply chains between the two countries, so that they can not only fulfill the defence needs of India and France, but also can be a useful contributor to the security partnership with other countries who might be in use of similar products,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said at a news conference Friday.
He also said, “In terms of the range of domains, including the technology space that the industrial roadmap will aim to achieve, it would include both air and space technologies, maritime technology; including the underwater domain awareness, it’s a new space which is coming up; naturally, the equipment and the systems related to the land warfare, and also robotics and artificial intelligence as also autonomous vehicles and platforms, and cyber defence.”
“So the focus of conversation, and this flows from what the two countries agreed in the 2047 Horizon Vision document, is to focus on defence production and manufacturing in a manner that you can harness the compatibilities and competencies which the two economies have, and the two engineering systems have, and then use it to further strengthen your defence cooperation,” said Kwatra.
India, France ‘Concerned’ Over Red Sea Tensions
With tensions escalating over attacks on merchant ships traversing the Red Sea by Houthis, India and France have expressed concerns over the conflict expanding that has the potential to adversely impact global commerce.
“They (India and France) also expressed grave concern at the possibility of further expansion of the conflict in the region, including in the Red Sea, which already has a significant economic impact in the world. They recalled the utmost importance of upholding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and of respecting the international law of the sea,” said the joint statement.
It added, “Prime Minister Modi and President Macron reiterated commitment to further deepen the long-standing partnership between the two countries, based on their common vision for the Indo-Pacific region. The leaders emphasized the region’s significance for their respective sovereign and strategic interests.”
They also acknowledged the crucial role of their partnership in the region for the advancement of a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific and beyond. Referring to the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Indo-Pacific, which was finalised in July 2023, they expressed satisfaction at the expanding nature of their engagement in the region.
On December 18, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian aimed to prevent the Houthis from attacking ships traversing off the coast of Yemen. Under this, the US along with the UK have launched a military assault in Yemen to specifically target Houthi bases there. However, France, along with Spain and Italy have stayed away from the operation.
Procurement of Rafale-M, Scorpene Submarines Discussed
Discussions were also held between both sides on speeding up the price negotiations for the purchase of 26 Rafale (Marine) fighter jets and three Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy. However, India sought to downplay the deals even as the purchases were mentioned in the 2047 Global Vision document, which was agreed upon during Modi’s visit to France in July 2023.
“On the marine part of the Rafale aircraft, those came up during the 2047 Global Vision document also … The visits are not focused on individual transactions. I have mentioned several times that the India-France strategic partnership, when that strategic partnership looks at defence cooperation, and security cooperation, it looks at it from a very holistic perspective, one; it looks at it a perspective that how it strengthens the sovereignty and the strategic security space between the two countries,” said Kwatra.
Macron, who first landed in Jaipur Thursday before coming to New Delhi, was accompanied by a 40-member delegation which included Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu and Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné.
During the two-day visit, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi held one-on-one meetings alone which was preceded by delegation-level talks.
“In the broader context of the ambitious collaboration, and as more detailed in the industrial roadmap, they welcomed the progress in the establishment of the MRO for LEAP engines in India by Safran and the plans to add MRO for Rafale engines, a comprehensive helicopter partnership with a Joint Venture for IMRH engine between HAL and Safran, and the Scorpene submarines constructed in India, including indigenisation,” said the joint statement.
Intelligence Sharing From ‘Seabed to Space’
Both sides also decided to enhance cooperation in space through co-development, manufacture and launch of satellites and payloads, research in new launch vehicle technologies and reusable launch vehicles and connecting the startups and users in both countries. They agreed to take full advantage of the opportunities in the space sector in both countries.
For this purpose, both sides have also established Strategic Space Dialogue, launched in June 2023 to provide strategic guidance and direction across all aspects of space cooperation.
Both leaders also welcomed the formalisation of cooperation between the National Security Guard (NSG) of India and the Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale (GIGN) for agency-level cooperation in the field of counterterrorism. India and France are witnessing greater intelligence cooperation under the Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism.
“They (India and France) lauded the all-round progress in defence and security partnership, which is a principal pillar of the partnership and a source of strengthening their countries’ sovereignty and strategic autonomy, and for advancing peace in the region. It extends from intelligence and information exchange to exercises and equipment and across all domains from the seabed to space,” said the joint statement.
New Delhi: India and France have decided to take their defence and security ties to the next level by planning to manufacture and export defence items to “friendly countries” even as New Delhi and Paris have planned to work towards “securitization of strategic sea lanes of communication”, according to the joint statement issued after bilateral meetings between French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Following a one-on-one meeting between both the leaders that was preceded by a round of delegation-level talks, both countries have decided to make India “a base for the manufacture and export of defence equipment for friendly countries in the region”, the joint statement said. This is part of the Roadmap for India-France Defence Industrial Partnership, signed between both sides during the visit of President Macron to India. Macron was on a two-day visit to India where he visited Jaipur and New Delhi. The French President was Chief Guest for 75th Republic Day celebrations.
India and France Friday also signed a ‘Letter of Intent’ between the Ministry of Defence, Government of India and the Ministry for the Armed Forces, French Republic on Defence Space Partnership.
“The two countries have agreed to adopt a defence production roadmap. Now, the name itself is very clear that the focus and the priority of defence cooperation through this roadmap is to actually identify opportunities for partnership in the defence industrial sector that prioritize co-designing, co-development, co-production, and also building the defence supply chains between the two countries, so that they can not only fulfill the defence needs of India and France, but also can be a useful contributor to the security partnership with other countries who might be in use of similar products,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said at a news conference Friday.
He also said, “In terms of the range of domains, including the technology space that the industrial roadmap will aim to achieve, it would include both air and space technologies, maritime technology; including the underwater domain awareness, it’s a new space which is coming up; naturally, the equipment and the systems related to the land warfare, and also robotics and artificial intelligence as also autonomous vehicles and platforms, and cyber defence.”
“So the focus of conversation, and this flows from what the two countries agreed in the 2047 Horizon Vision document, is to focus on defence production and manufacturing in a manner that you can harness the compatibilities and competencies which the two economies have, and the two engineering systems have, and then use it to further strengthen your defence cooperation,” said Kwatra.
India, France ‘Concerned’ Over Red Sea Tensions
With tensions escalating over attacks on merchant ships traversing the Red Sea by Houthis, India and France have expressed concerns over the conflict expanding that has the potential to adversely impact global commerce.
“They (India and France) also expressed grave concern at the possibility of further expansion of the conflict in the region, including in the Red Sea, which already has a significant economic impact in the world. They recalled the utmost importance of upholding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and of respecting the international law of the sea,” said the joint statement.
It added, “Prime Minister Modi and President Macron reiterated commitment to further deepen the long-standing partnership between the two countries, based on their common vision for the Indo-Pacific region. The leaders emphasized the region’s significance for their respective sovereign and strategic interests.”
They also acknowledged the crucial role of their partnership in the region for the advancement of a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific and beyond. Referring to the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Indo-Pacific, which was finalised in July 2023, they expressed satisfaction at the expanding nature of their engagement in the region.
On December 18, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian aimed to prevent the Houthis from attacking ships traversing off the coast of Yemen. Under this, the US along with the UK have launched a military assault in Yemen to specifically target Houthi bases there. However, France, along with Spain and Italy have stayed away from the operation.
Procurement of Rafale-M, Scorpene Submarines Discussed
Discussions were also held between both sides on speeding up the price negotiations for the purchase of 26 Rafale (Marine) fighter jets and three Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy. However, India sought to downplay the deals even as the purchases were mentioned in the 2047 Global Vision document, which was agreed upon during Modi’s visit to France in July 2023.
“On the marine part of the Rafale aircraft, those came up during the 2047 Global Vision document also … The visits are not focused on individual transactions. I have mentioned several times that the India-France strategic partnership, when that strategic partnership looks at defence cooperation, and security cooperation, it looks at it from a very holistic perspective, one; it looks at it a perspective that how it strengthens the sovereignty and the strategic security space between the two countries,” said Kwatra.
Macron, who first landed in Jaipur Thursday before coming to New Delhi, was accompanied by a 40-member delegation which included Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu and Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné.
During the two-day visit, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi held one-on-one meetings alone which was preceded by delegation-level talks.
“In the broader context of the ambitious collaboration, and as more detailed in the industrial roadmap, they welcomed the progress in the establishment of the MRO for LEAP engines in India by Safran and the plans to add MRO for Rafale engines, a comprehensive helicopter partnership with a Joint Venture for IMRH engine between HAL and Safran, and the Scorpene submarines constructed in India, including indigenisation,” said the joint statement.
Intelligence Sharing From ‘Seabed to Space’
Both sides also decided to enhance cooperation in space through co-development, manufacture and launch of satellites and payloads, research in new launch vehicle technologies and reusable launch vehicles and connecting the startups and users in both countries. They agreed to take full advantage of the opportunities in the space sector in both countries.
For this purpose, both sides have also established Strategic Space Dialogue, launched in June 2023 to provide strategic guidance and direction across all aspects of space cooperation.
Both leaders also welcomed the formalisation of cooperation between the National Security Guard (NSG) of India and the Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale (GIGN) for agency-level cooperation in the field of counterterrorism. India and France are witnessing greater intelligence cooperation under the Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism.
“They (India and France) lauded the all-round progress in defence and security partnership, which is a principal pillar of the partnership and a source of strengthening their countries’ sovereignty and strategic autonomy, and for advancing peace in the region. It extends from intelligence and information exchange to exercises and equipment and across all domains from the seabed to space,” said the joint statement.
New Delhi: India and France have decided to take their defence and security ties to the next level by planning to manufacture and export defence items to “friendly countries” even as New Delhi and Paris have planned to work towards “securitization of strategic sea lanes of communication”, according to the joint statement issued after bilateral meetings between French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Following a one-on-one meeting between both the leaders that was preceded by a round of delegation-level talks, both countries have decided to make India “a base for the manufacture and export of defence equipment for friendly countries in the region”, the joint statement said. This is part of the Roadmap for India-France Defence Industrial Partnership, signed between both sides during the visit of President Macron to India. Macron was on a two-day visit to India where he visited Jaipur and New Delhi. The French President was Chief Guest for 75th Republic Day celebrations.
India and France Friday also signed a ‘Letter of Intent’ between the Ministry of Defence, Government of India and the Ministry for the Armed Forces, French Republic on Defence Space Partnership.
“The two countries have agreed to adopt a defence production roadmap. Now, the name itself is very clear that the focus and the priority of defence cooperation through this roadmap is to actually identify opportunities for partnership in the defence industrial sector that prioritize co-designing, co-development, co-production, and also building the defence supply chains between the two countries, so that they can not only fulfill the defence needs of India and France, but also can be a useful contributor to the security partnership with other countries who might be in use of similar products,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said at a news conference Friday.
He also said, “In terms of the range of domains, including the technology space that the industrial roadmap will aim to achieve, it would include both air and space technologies, maritime technology; including the underwater domain awareness, it’s a new space which is coming up; naturally, the equipment and the systems related to the land warfare, and also robotics and artificial intelligence as also autonomous vehicles and platforms, and cyber defence.”
“So the focus of conversation, and this flows from what the two countries agreed in the 2047 Horizon Vision document, is to focus on defence production and manufacturing in a manner that you can harness the compatibilities and competencies which the two economies have, and the two engineering systems have, and then use it to further strengthen your defence cooperation,” said Kwatra.
India, France ‘Concerned’ Over Red Sea Tensions
With tensions escalating over attacks on merchant ships traversing the Red Sea by Houthis, India and France have expressed concerns over the conflict expanding that has the potential to adversely impact global commerce.
“They (India and France) also expressed grave concern at the possibility of further expansion of the conflict in the region, including in the Red Sea, which already has a significant economic impact in the world. They recalled the utmost importance of upholding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and of respecting the international law of the sea,” said the joint statement.
It added, “Prime Minister Modi and President Macron reiterated commitment to further deepen the long-standing partnership between the two countries, based on their common vision for the Indo-Pacific region. The leaders emphasized the region’s significance for their respective sovereign and strategic interests.”
They also acknowledged the crucial role of their partnership in the region for the advancement of a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific and beyond. Referring to the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Indo-Pacific, which was finalised in July 2023, they expressed satisfaction at the expanding nature of their engagement in the region.
On December 18, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian aimed to prevent the Houthis from attacking ships traversing off the coast of Yemen. Under this, the US along with the UK have launched a military assault in Yemen to specifically target Houthi bases there. However, France, along with Spain and Italy have stayed away from the operation.
Procurement of Rafale-M, Scorpene Submarines Discussed
Discussions were also held between both sides on speeding up the price negotiations for the purchase of 26 Rafale (Marine) fighter jets and three Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy. However, India sought to downplay the deals even as the purchases were mentioned in the 2047 Global Vision document, which was agreed upon during Modi’s visit to France in July 2023.
“On the marine part of the Rafale aircraft, those came up during the 2047 Global Vision document also … The visits are not focused on individual transactions. I have mentioned several times that the India-France strategic partnership, when that strategic partnership looks at defence cooperation, and security cooperation, it looks at it from a very holistic perspective, one; it looks at it a perspective that how it strengthens the sovereignty and the strategic security space between the two countries,” said Kwatra.
Macron, who first landed in Jaipur Thursday before coming to New Delhi, was accompanied by a 40-member delegation which included Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu and Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné.
During the two-day visit, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi held one-on-one meetings alone which was preceded by delegation-level talks.
“In the broader context of the ambitious collaboration, and as more detailed in the industrial roadmap, they welcomed the progress in the establishment of the MRO for LEAP engines in India by Safran and the plans to add MRO for Rafale engines, a comprehensive helicopter partnership with a Joint Venture for IMRH engine between HAL and Safran, and the Scorpene submarines constructed in India, including indigenisation,” said the joint statement.
Intelligence Sharing From ‘Seabed to Space’
Both sides also decided to enhance cooperation in space through co-development, manufacture and launch of satellites and payloads, research in new launch vehicle technologies and reusable launch vehicles and connecting the startups and users in both countries. They agreed to take full advantage of the opportunities in the space sector in both countries.
For this purpose, both sides have also established Strategic Space Dialogue, launched in June 2023 to provide strategic guidance and direction across all aspects of space cooperation.
Both leaders also welcomed the formalisation of cooperation between the National Security Guard (NSG) of India and the Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale (GIGN) for agency-level cooperation in the field of counterterrorism. India and France are witnessing greater intelligence cooperation under the Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism.
“They (India and France) lauded the all-round progress in defence and security partnership, which is a principal pillar of the partnership and a source of strengthening their countries’ sovereignty and strategic autonomy, and for advancing peace in the region. It extends from intelligence and information exchange to exercises and equipment and across all domains from the seabed to space,” said the joint statement.
