PM Modi's France Visit: Paris Pushes 'Equal Partnership' And 'Make In India' For Future Defence Ties

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is heading to France for the G7 Summit on June 13 and 14. He will hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines. Ahead of the visit, French diplomatic sources have made India's defence cooperation their headline message. France has said that all future defence programmes with India, including the proposed Rafale fighter jet deal, will be fully aligned with 'Make in India' and built on an equal partnership.

Is it not a buyer-seller deal?

India is working on a massive defence acquisition worth around Rs 3.25 lakh crore for 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force. French sources have been clear that this will not be structured like a traditional arms sale. The proposed deal is being shaped as a co-development and industrial cooperation arrangement. Local manufacturing, integration of Indian weapons systems and participation of Indian defence companies are all on the table. Sources used the phrase equal-to-equal to describe the approach. France is not looking to just sell jets. It wants to build them with India.

Will nuclear energy also be on the agenda?

Defence is not the only big item for the Modi-Macron meeting. Civil nuclear energy is also expected to come up. French officials say recent legislative reforms in India have opened new doors. French utility companies are already in talks with major Indian stakeholders about future nuclear projects. Sources said greater clarity on these collaborations could come by the end of this year.

India eyes sixth generation fighter programme?

There is also the question of India joining France's Future Combat Air System programme, which is a sixth-generation fighter aircraft project. French sources said everything is open but India needs to come with a formal proposal. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had already signalled India's interest at the India-France Annual Defence Dialogue in Bengaluru in February. Singh had discussed co-development and co-manufacture of a sixth-generation aircraft under the FCAS framework. The programme was launched by France and Germany in 2017, with Spain joining later. Germany has since stepped out.