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New Delhi: Defence sectors in India and France are set to come closer, with the two countries finalizing a defence industrial road map during French president Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India. New Delhi and Paris had agreed to pursue the road map during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France in July last year.
The road map is expected to help the Indian and French defence sectors partner in projects requiring joint design and production, foreign secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said. It will focus on air, space, maritime, land warfare, robotics and artificial intelligence technology, besides other areas.
Macron, who was chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations, held talks with Modi in Jaipur on bilateral ties, and regional and global issues. The Red Sea crisis and the Ukraine war also figured in the discussions. Macron has previous visited India in 2018 and 2023.
Earlier in the day, Macron announced a target of 30,000 Indian students in French institutions by 2030. On social media platform X, the French president said France will do this by launching new pathways to learn French; developing the Alliances Francaises network; creating international classes for non-French speakers; and easing the visa process for those who have studied in France.
The two sides also agreed to sign a letter of intent to boost defence space cooperation. The goal, foreign secretary Kwatra said, is to enhance “space situational awareness” to prevent collisions in space and other activities like earth monitoring and remote sensing. New Space India Ltd (NSIL) also signed an MoU with France’s Arianespace on satellite launches.
Airbus Helicopters, based in France, said it will partner the Tata group to establish a final assembly line for helicopters in India, which will be its second final assembly line in the country. The assembly line will produce Airbus H125 helicopters from its civil range for India and as well as for exports to some of the neighbouring countries.
Kwatra also confirmed an agreement on mobility for young professionals, saying a five-year Schengen visa provision for Indian students completing their Masters in France will be activated.
However, the visit did not see any announcement on the purchase of Rafale marine aircraft or Scorpene submarines by India. “The visits are not focused on individual transactions,” Kwatra said.
“With regards to developments in the Red Sea, the potential disruptions and the actual things happening in the maritime domain there which are causing disruption to commercial shipping, are a matter of serious concern and both leaders focused on it,” Kwatra said.
The two sides also discussed a controversy surrounding French journalist Vanessa Dougnac. Recent reports said India has asked Dougnac why her OCI card should not be withdrawn over allegations of “malicious” reporting.
Macron, who was accompanied by a 40-member team, is the fifth French leader to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations.
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Published: 26 Jan 2024, 11:14 PM IST
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