Article Posted on : - Feb 13, 2025

rime Minister Narendra Modi being received by French President Emmanuel Macron before the India - France CEO forum in Paris, France on Feb. 11, 2025. Image credit: @pmoindia on Youtube via PTI Photo

PARIS (PTI): Emphasising on “deep and long-standing” defence cooperation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron have commended the progress in collaboration in construction of Scorpene submarines in India as the two countries welcomed the ongoing discussions on missiles, helicopter engines and jet engines.

Modi invited the French Army to “take a closer look” at the Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launch (MBRL) system, emphasising that “an acquisition of this system by France would be another milestone in Indo-French defence ties,” according to a joint statement issued on Wednesday during Modi’s just-concluded France visit.

The two leaders held bilateral discussions on the entire gamut of the “exceptionally strong and multifaceted” bilateral cooperation apart from global and regional matters.

“In order to deepen the research and development partnerships in defence, both the leaders stressed on the early launch of an R&D framework through a Technical Arrangement for cooperation in defence technologies between DGA and DRDO,” it said.

The Direction Generale de l'Armement (DGA) coordinates the armament programmes with industry in France and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is the premier R&D organisation of India.

They also held extensive discussions on long-term global challenges and current international developments and agreed to intensify their global and regional engagement, including through multilateral initiatives and institutions.

Both leaders had a “detailed conversation on international issues, including on the Middle East and the war in Ukraine.”

The two leaders also underlined their common commitment to a “free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific region,” the statement said.

Both leaders commended progress in collaboration in construction of Scorpene submarines in India, including indigenisation, and in particular the work carried out with a view to the “integration of DRDO developed Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) into P75-Scorpene submarines and the analyses conducted regarding the possible integration of the Integrated Combat System (ICS) into the future P75-AS submarines,” it added.

The two leaders welcomed the commissioning of the sixth and final submarine of the P75 Scorpene-class project, INS Vaghsheer, on January 15.

“Both sides welcomed the ongoing discussions in missiles, helicopter engines and jet engines. They also welcomed the excellent cooperation between the relevant entities in the Safran group and their Indian counterparts,” it added.

Briefing the media in France, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday said they reviewed the bilateral cooperation in areas of defence, space and civil nuclear cooperation, health and people-to-people ties.

“In addition, President Macron welcomed the decision to include India as an observer to the Eurodrone MALE programme managed by OCCAR, which is another step forward in the growing strength of our partnership in defence equipment programmes,” the statement said.

Last year, India and France celebrated the 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership.

“Recalling the deep and long-standing defence cooperation between France and India as part of the strategic partnership, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi welcomed the continuation of the cooperation of air and maritime assets in line with the ambitious Defence Industrial Roadmap agreed in 2024,” the statement said.

The two leaders noted the recent visit of the French Carrier Strike Group Charles De Gaulle to India in January 2025, followed by the Indian Navy’s participation in the French multinational exercise La Perouse, and the future conduct of the Varuna exercise in March 2025, it said.

India and France welcomed the launch of FRIND-X (France-India Defence Startup Excellence) in Paris in December 2024, involving the DGA and the Defence Innovation Agency, in line with the vision enshrined in HORIZON 2047 and the India-France Defence Industrial Roadmap.

“This collaborative platform brings together key stakeholders across both defence ecosystems, including defence startups, investors, incubators, accelerators, and academia, fostering a new era of defence innovation and partnership,” the statement said.

"Further, India welcomes the participation of Indian students, alongside French students, in the challenge on distributed intelligence launched recently by Interdisciplinary Centre for Defence and Security from the Institut Polytechnique de Paris and encourages organising of more joint challenges in the future to evoke the interest of students in defence," it added.

They commended the joint military exercises that took place between France, India and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the participation of India, France and Australia in each others' multilateral military exercises.

“Taking note of the substantial contribution of the first two sessions of the India-France Strategic Space Dialogue for furthering this objective, they agreed to hold its third session in 2025,” the joint statement said.