Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan pays homage at the Indian Memorial, in Villers-Guislain, France on April 24. | Photo Credit: PTI
Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan interacted with top executives of several French defence majors, including Dassault Aviation, Safran and Naval Group, with a view to build futuristic capabilities of the Indian armed forces.
The interaction was part of Gen Chauhan’s series of engagements during his nearly week-long trip to France that concluded on April 27.
“Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan concluded a comprehensive visit to France, which has reaffirmed the continued long-standing strategic partnership between India and France,” the defence ministry said on April 28.
It is understood that India’s plan to procure 26 Rafale (Marine) jets and three Scorpene submarines from France figured in his talks.
In July last year, the defence ministry approved the purchase of 26 Rafale (marine) jets from France, primarily for deployment on board the indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
The ministry had also cleared procurement of three Scorpene submarines from France.
Under the Indian Navy’s Project 75, six Scorpene submarines have already been constructed in India by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in cooperation with the Naval Group of France.
The defence and strategic ties between India and France have been on an upswing in the last few years.
The two strategic partners have been looking at co-development and co-production of advanced defence technologies, including for the benefit of third countries.
Gen Chauhan held wide-ranging talks with senior civil and military leadership of France on ways to bolster the military cooperation between armed forces of the two countries.
“The interactions of the CDS with Patrick Pailloux, Director of Civil and Military Cabinet of the Minister of the French Armed Forces, and Lt Gen Vincent Giraud, Chief of Military Cabinet of the Minister of the Armed Forces at the apex level and also with his counterpart, Gen Thierry Burkhard have enabled exchange of views on areas of common interests and mutual security concerns,” the ministry said.
It is learnt that the situation in the Indo-Pacific that has witnessed growing Chinese military muscle-flexing figured in the talks.
“Deliberations at France’s Directorate General of Armament for enhancing the exchange of high-end dual-use technologies followed by interactions with the top leadership of the French Defence industry, including Dassault, Safran and Naval Groups, and Thales Alenia Space, towards futuristic capacity building of the Indian armed forces, would provide an impetus to indigenisation,” the ministry said in a statement.
The CDS also visited the French Land Forces Command, the French Space Command, and the School of Military Studies (Ecole Militaire).
During the interactions, Gen Chauhan provided India’s point of view on key security challenges.
The CDS also paid tributes at the War Memorials of Neuve-Chapelle and Villers-Guislain, remembering the extraordinary bravery of soldiers of the Indian Expeditionary Force who fought on the Western front during the First World War, the ministry said.
“These memorials stand testimony to the long-standing Indo-French relationship,” it said.
“The India-France Strategic Partnership has gathered significant momentum over time and has now evolved into an even closer and multifaceted relationship that spans diverse areas of cooperation,” it added.
