India and France sign key deals: Multi-mission helicopter, defence space partnership, land and maritime warfare

India and France at the end of 75th Republic Day adopted a Roadmap for Defence Industrial Partnership under which both the countries agreed to co-develop, co-design, co-produce of military systems. Ahead of the Republic Day celebrations, PM Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron met in Jaipur on Thursday and reportedly discussed issues such as defence, space, education, health, mobility, and economic cooperation to the situation in Gaza and the Red Sea crisis. French President Macron was the chief guest at the Republic Day.

India and France will jointly produce a multi-mission helicopter in India, and French engine maker Safran is willing to transfer 100% technology to build fighter jet engines in the country.

Besides, the two countries have agreed on defense space partnership, satellite launches, clean energy research, healthcare cooperation, public administration collaboration, and five-year Schengen visas for Indian students pursuing Master's degrees in France, foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra said on Friday.

“The focus and priority of the [industrial defence] roadmap is to actually identify opportunities for partnership in the defence industrial sector that prioritises co-designing, co-development, co-production and also build the defence supply chains between the two countries so that they can fulfil the defence needs of not only India and France but also be a useful contributor in the security partnership with other countries who might be need similar products,” said Kwatra.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in civil aviation between TATA Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus to set up an assembly line for H125 helicopters in India.

Another MoU was signed in the space sector between NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) and France’s Arianespace S.A.S.

A framework cooperation agreement was signed between Indian government’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) and France’s Institut national de recherche pour L’Agriculture, L’Alimentation Et L’Environnement (INRAE).

A declaration of intent was issued between India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and France’s Ministry of Labour, Health and Solidarity on Cooperation in the Field of Health and Medicine.

It was also decided that the year 2026 will be celebrated as the India-France Year of Innovation.

Also read: French president Macron says France to welcome 30,000 Indian students by 2030; check details here