Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh met with his French counterpart, Sebastien Lecornu, in Paris on Wednesday to discuss ways to enhance defense industrial cooperation between the two countries. The two ministers also discussed potential collaboration in niche areas such as space, cyber, and artificial intelligence.
Singh described his meeting with Lecornu as “excellent” and said that the India-France strategic partnership is more relevant today than ever. He added that both sides are looking forward to taking the partnership to new heights.
The two ministers reviewed the ongoing defense projects between the two countries and discussed ways to deepen the collaboration between their defense industries. Singh also highlighted the advantages of co-development and co-production of defense hardware in India that could be exported to third countries.
The defense ministry said that Singh visited the Safran Engine Division’s R&D Center in Gennevilliers near Paris and witnessed the latest developments in aero-engine technology. Safran is a French company that is looking to co-develop a fighter aircraft engine in India under a mega project.
Defense and strategic ties between India and France have been on an upswing in the last few years. In July, the two countries announced a raft of ground-breaking defense cooperation projects, including the joint development of jet and helicopter engines and construction of three Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy.
The India-France strategic partnership is important for both countries as they face common security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. Collaboration in niche areas such as cyberspace and AI will help both countries to better prepare for the future of warfare.
