India, France will strengthen defense ties – Gudstory

The new roadmap is expected to help the Indian and French defense sectors partner in projects requiring joint designing and production, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said at a press conference here. The focus will be on air, space, maritime, land warfare, robotics and artificial intelligence technology, among other areas. New Delhi and Paris had agreed to take forward the roadmap during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to France in July 2023.

Both sides also agreed to a letter of intent to promote defense space cooperation. The goal is to enhance space situational awareness, prevent collisions in space, and other activities such as Earth surveillance and remote sensing, Kwatra said. New Space India Limited (NSIL) also signed an MoU with France’s Arianespace on satellite launch capabilities.

Kwatra also announced that Tata and Airbus are ready to set up a final assembly line (FAL) to manufacture H125 helicopters in India. Both companies also hope to export helicopters to neighboring countries. Airbus said the move is to further the “Make in India” campaign.

However, there was no major announcement on the purchase of Rafale seaplanes or Scorpene submarines from India during the visit. “The tours are not focused on individual transactions,” Kwatra said in response to questions on the status of the deal.

Modi and Macron held talks on bilateral relations and other regional and global issues in Jaipur. The ongoing Red Sea crisis and the Ukraine war also featured in the discussion.

“With respect to developments in the Red Sea, the potential disruptions and actual things happening in the maritime domain that are causing disruption to commercial shipping are a matter of grave concern and something both leaders are focused on,” Kwatra said.

He also confirmed that an agreement has been reached on mobility for young professionals and said that a five-year Schengen visa provision will be activated for Indian students completing their Masters in France.

New Delhi and Paris also discussed the controversy surrounding French journalist Vanessa Dougnac. According to multiple reports, Dougnac was asked by the Indian government to explain why his OCI card should not be withdrawn following allegations of “malicious” reporting. Quatra reported that the matter had been discussed by both parties, but added that the matter was related to whether Dougnac was complying with the appropriate rules and regulations.

During the visit, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also met his counterpart Stephen Sejourn. Macron was also accompanied by a 40-member delegation. On Friday, he attended India’s 75th Republic Day parade as the chief guest. Macron is the fifth French leader to receive this honor and the fourth consecutive French President to be the chief guest at the ceremony. This was also Macron’s third visit to India, after his previous visits in 2018 and 2023.

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Published: 26 January 2024, 07:38 PM IST