NEW DELHI, India, July 21: India and France on Monday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening defense cooperation, with a renewed focus on co-design, co-development, and co-production in line with India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) vision.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a meeting between Defense Secretary Rajesh Singh and France’s Chief of Defence, General (Air) Fabien Mandon, in New Delhi.
According to the Ministry of Defence, both sides agreed to further expand the India-France defense partnership by enhancing defense industrial cooperation and building on the outcomes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to France.
In a post on X, the ministry said the discussions focused on advancing collaboration through joint design, development, and manufacturing of defense platforms and technologies, reinforcing the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The meeting follows Prime Minister Modi’s bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron at Villa Kerylos in Nice in June. It was the first meeting between the two leaders since India and France elevated their relationship to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership” earlier this year.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two leaders held extensive discussions on a wide range of bilateral issues and expressed satisfaction with the steady growth of defense cooperation across multiple domains.
They also agreed to further intensify collaboration with an emphasis on the joint design, development, and production of advanced defense platforms and technologies.
The leaders reviewed cooperation in the space sector, highlighting the long-standing partnership between the two countries. They discussed expanding collaboration in areas including human spaceflight and space situational awareness.
India and France continue to maintain a strong and expanding defense partnership, with increasing emphasis on indigenous manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Defense cooperation between the two nations is reviewed through the Annual Defence Dialogue at the defense minister level and the High Committee on Defence Cooperation at the secretary level. (ANI)
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