The 6th Annual India-France Defence Dialogue, held in Bengaluru today, signed agreements to renew industrial collaboration and co-production for the next ten years. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin were present at the event. An agreement was also signed between Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Safran Electronics France to manufacture the Hammer air-to-ground missile in India.
In his opening remarks, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reaffirmed the strength of the Indo-French strategic partnership in the face of evolving global security challenges. He noted that the recent India-EU Security and Defence Partnership provides a broader framework for enhanced bilateral and regional cooperation, and emphasised that defence remains a central pillar of India-France relations. He welcomed Catherine Vautrin to India once again.
In her opening remarks, the French Defence Minister highlighted the historic and forward-looking nature of the partnership, particularly in the aerospace and defence sector between the two countries. She called for deeper strategic dialogue amid rising geopolitical tensions.
