France aiming high over defence deals with India
TRUST KEY TO BOOSTING BILATERAL TIES,
FRANCE wants to be India’s “best partner” in boosting its defence manufacturing and has decided to share the latest technologies and equipment in sync with the growing “trust” between the two countries, French ambassador Emmanuel Lenain said last week.
French and Indian companies are working together on the “equipment of the future”, platforms and engines, he said, without elaborating.
“I do not think any country provides India with the same level of technology. The progress is also due to the fact that we recognise India wants to boost its strategic autonomy, build its industrial base and we want to be India’s best partner in this move,” Lenain said.
India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in September 2016 for the procurement of 36 Rafale jets at a cost of around `590 billion (£6.47bn).
“Defence has always been a very strong component of our cooperation because there is a lot of trust between our two countries. When you want to work on these issues, you need trust because you commit yourself for 10, 20, 30 years,” Lenain said.
“Defence cooperation has been developing very well because we are very comfortable with India. We have decided we could share our best technology, state-of-the-art equipment, best-in-class technology.”
Both countries are now looking at further bolstering bilateral ties in view of the conflict in Ukraine and developments in the Indo-Pacific region.
“From the beginning, we were the best partners in the Make-in-India policy. Now that India is switching to the Aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) policy, we are also there for India,” Lenain said.
He said France was ready to co-develop equipment with India and share knowhow. “Our companies are working together on the equipment of the future, on engines, on different sorts of equipment. It is very positive for both industries,” Lenain said.
The French envoy did not provide a direct reply when asked about the possibility of the Indian Air Force procuring additional Rafale fighter aircraft and whether France is also looking at supplying the naval version of the jet to the Indian Navy.
“We are talking and again, we are very much willing to provide state-of-the-art equipment. Everything is on the table and we do our best,” he said.
French aerospace major Safran has already set the ball rolling with its biggest maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Hyderabad. Safran is one of the leading original equipment manufacturers of advanced engines for civil and fighter jets.
“It is a partnership of equals and it is a partnership to boost each other’s strategic autonomy,” Lenain said.
Ways to expand defence and security cooperation figured during the talks French foreign minister Catherine Colonna held on her visit to India last month.
In December last year, India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh said France agreed to jointly build aircraft engines with India.
India is looking at manufacturing aircraft engines to power its ambitious fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). The defence ministry has already taken a series of policy initiatives for joint production of key military equipment and platforms involving foreign defence majors and Indian entities.
In 2017, India unveiled the ambitious strategic partnership (SP) model to facilitate joint ventures between select private Indian firms and foreign defence majors to build military platforms, such as submarines and fighter jets, in the country. The SP model aims to create a defence manufacturing system in the country.
The government has initiated a series of measures in the last few years to boost domestic defence manufacturing.
India has been one of the largest importers of arms globally. According to estimates, the Indian armed forces are projected to spend around $130 bn (£1.17bn) in capital procurement in the next five years.
The government now wants to reduce the dependence on imported military platforms and has decided to support domestic defence manufacturing.