NEW DELHI/BENGALURU: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday urged France to increase the India-manufactured component in the proposed deal for 114 Rafale fighter jets to as much as 50%, sources said.
During the 6th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue in Bengaluru, Singh conveyed the request to his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin, asking that a greater share of production and value addition be carried out in India.
He also pressed for the engines of the fighter aircraft to be manufactured and overhauled domestically, saying the move would significantly bolster India’s Make in India initiative, according to defence sources.
Expanded defence cooperation
The two ministers discussed a broad spectrum of bilateral security issues, including priority areas for co-development and co-production of defence platforms. India and France renewed their defence cooperation agreement for another 10 years, announced reciprocal deployment of army officers, and signed a pact to manufacture Hammer missiles in India.
A memorandum of understanding was signed for a joint venture between defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and France’s Safran Electronics & Defence to produce Hammer precision-guided munitions in India. The weapons were previously used by India during Operation Sindoor.
H125 helicopter assembly line inaugurated
Earlier in the day, Singh and Vautrin attended the inauguration ceremony of the H125 Light Utility Helicopter final assembly line at Vemagal in Karnataka. The facility has been jointly established by Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) and Airbus.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron virtually inaugurated the facility from Mumbai.
Speaking at the event, Modi said India and France would manufacture in India the world’s only helicopter capable of operating at the altitude of Mount Everest and export it globally. The first “Made in India” H125 is expected to be delivered in early 2027. The helicopter is expected to meet the armed forces’ requirement for a light multi-role platform, particularly for operations in the high-altitude Himalayan region.
Singh said total investment in the H125 project is projected to exceed Rs 1,000 crore and generate significant direct and indirect employment.
Rafale deal and future projects
Macron, in his remarks, highlighted the deepening defence partnership between the two countries. He said cooperation spans Rafale jets and submarines, and noted that the two sides are also collaborating on helicopter assembly lines and fifth-generation fighter jet engines.
His comments come shortly after the Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Singh, cleared the proposal to procure 114 Dassault Rafale fighter jets from France. Following the high-level meetings, cost negotiations are expected to gather momentum, with the agreement likely to be signed after Cabinet approval.
With Macron also referring to submarine collaboration, India may consider acquiring additional Scorpene-class submarine conventional submarines from France. India has already inducted six Scorpene-class submarines, known as the Kalvari class, under Project 75.
The French defence minister also welcomed the decision to convert Exercise Shakti, a joint Army drill, from a biennial to an annual exercise.
Pakistan issue raised
During the dialogue, Singh also flagged concerns over terrorism originating from Pakistan. He said Pakistan has a long history of nurturing and promoting cross-border terrorism aimed at destabilising India, posing a serious threat to regional peace and stability.
