France is aiming to deepen its military partnership with New Delhi, with talks expected on a possible contract for 114 additional French fighter jets
French President Emmanuel Macron will begin a three-day visit to India on Tuesday, with discussions centered on artificial intelligence cooperation and a potential multibillion-dollar deal for Dassault Aviation Rafale fighter jets.
France is aiming to deepen its military partnership with New Delhi, with talks expected on a possible contract for 114 additional French fighter jets.
Macron and his wife Brigitte were due to arrive at around midnight on Monday in Mumbai, India’s financial capital, for his fourth visit to India since taking office in 2017.
The French leader is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later on Tuesday, before traveling to New Delhi for a two-day artificial intelligence summit on Wednesday and Thursday.
The visit comes after New Delhi confirmed plans last week to place a major order for Rafale jets and follows the signing of a landmark free trade agreement between India and the European Union in January.
‘Contract of the century’
Over the past decade, India has sought to reduce its reliance on Russia, its traditional primary supplier of military equipment, by diversifying procurement from other countries and boosting domestic defence production.
An Indian defence ministry statement last week said the proposed purchase of Dassault Aviation Rafale jets had been approved, with “the majority” expected to be manufactured in India.
The statement did not confirm the exact number of jets to be acquired, but a defence ministry source in New Delhi indicated that 114 aircraft were likely.
Christophe Jaffrelot, an India specialist at Sciences Po Center for International Studies, described the potential €30 billion ($35 billion) deal for 114 Rafales as the “contract of the century” and a possible “crowning achievement” for India-France bilateral ties.
If finalised, the additional jets would join the 36 Rafales purchased for India’s air force in 2016 and 26 ordered for the navy.
Negotiations with Dassault Aviation over the extra aircraft are ongoing, but the French presidency expressed optimism that a “historic” agreement could be reached.
‘Good chemistry’
PM Modi and Macron will also inaugurate on Tuesday India’s first helicopter final assembly line via videoconference from Mumbai, a joint venture between India’s Tata Group and Airbus.
The facility in Vemagal, in the southern state of Karnataka near the tech hub of Bengaluru, will manufacture the Airbus H125, the company’s best-selling single-engine helicopter.
France has emerged as one of India’s most important defence and economic partners in the last decade, with New Delhi attempting to cut its traditional military hardware dependence on Russia.
“Through this visit, we seek to further strengthen cooperation” with India, and to “diversify” France’s economic and trade partnerships, Macron’s office said.
India, the world’s most populous country with 1.4 billion people, is on track to become the fourth-largest economy globally.
This week’s talks are also expected to address global economic uncertainty triggered by tariff policies under US President Donald Trump, as well as China’s influence in the region.
Modi’s office said discussions would focus on “cementing the strategic partnership and further diversifying it into new and emerging areas”.
Bilateral trade between France and India, driven largely by defence and aerospace – India’s commercial fleet includes a substantial number of Airbus aircraft – stands at around €15 billion ($18 billion) annually.
French foreign direct investment in India totals nearly €13 billion ($15 billion).
The two leaders will also be keen to nurture close personal ties.
“There is apparently a good chemistry, a good personal rapport,” Jaffrelot said.
One sensitive issue remains Ukraine: India has not condemned Russia’s 2022 invasion and has continued buying oil from Moscow.
US President Donald Trump has said India had committed to halting the purchases, though that has not been formally confirmed by New Delhi.
“If the Indians stop buying Russian oil, they won’t be blamed for abstaining at the UN,” Jaffrelot added.
With inputs from agencies
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