Emmanuel Macron on India visit: defence partnership grows closer, deals possible from Rafale to HAMMER
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Mumbai on a visit to India. His three-day visit, from February 17th to 19th, comes at a time when rapidly growing closeness in defense cooperation has led to discussions that France is becoming the "new Russia" for India. This means that just as Russia has been India's most trusted defense partner for decades, France is now emerging as a key pillar of long-term, high-tech, and reliable defense cooperation. During the visit, the two countries will review the progress of the India-France strategic partnership and discuss expanding cooperation into new and emerging areas.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Macron will jointly inaugurate the "India-France Year of Innovation 2026" on Tuesday evening. This is Macron's fourth visit to India and his first to Mumbai. On February 17th, the defense ministers of both countries will discuss the future defense framework in Bengaluru. Several key defense deals are expected to be approved at the meeting, chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin. According to the Defense Ministry, the defense cooperation agreement between the two countries is expected to be renewed for another 10 years. A memorandum of understanding on a joint venture for the joint production of "Hammer" missiles is also possible.
Recently, the Indian government's Defence Acquisition Council decided to purchase over 100 Rafale fighter jets from France, taking the defence cooperation between the two countries to new heights. This deal will strengthen the Indian Air Force's firepower and further deepen the strategic partnership through maintenance, training, spares supply, and technical cooperation. Experts believe that with this large purchase, France is emerging as a key pillar of India's defence modernisation, reinforcing the notion of a "new Russia". This partnership now appears to be moving beyond a buyer-seller relationship and entering a phase of co-development and co-production.
The bilateral talks in Mumbai will also discuss regional and global issues. Stability in the Indo-Pacific region, a multipolar world order, and the strengthening of global supply chains are shared priorities for both countries. President Macron will also participate in the AI Impact Summit hosted by India, which is expected to provide new impetus to cooperation in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence. Furthermore, cooperation is steadily deepening in areas such as innovation, digital technology, space, maritime security, and energy security.
India-France relations are characterized by a strong strategic autonomy and a strong commitment to defense technology transfer and long-term partnerships. In recent years, France has provided advanced military platforms and technical assistance, signaling its desire to become a trusted strategic partner, not just a supplier.