French President Emmanuel Macron came to India on a 2-day state visit on 25-26 January. He landed directly at Jaipur airport, where External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar received him. Macron did a road show with PM Modi in Jaipur. A meeting was also held between the two leaders on global and bilateral issues.
During this period many agreements were signed between India and France. PM Modi and Macron agreed to increase partnership in the defense industrial sector in both countries. A roadmap was also prepared for this. Both leaders welcomed the agreement to manufacture Scorpene-class submarines and their components in India.
He also inspected the progress of this project. Also, the agreement signed by Safran Company to create a facility for the maintenance, repair, and operation of Rafale fighter jet engines in India was welcomed. Apart from this, Safran company will make a joint venture with India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to manufacture IMRH helicopter engines.
H125 Single-Engine Helicopter will be Made in Vadodara
An important agreement was also signed between Tata Group and French aircraft manufacturing company Airbus. Under this, both companies will together make an H125 single-engine helicopter in India. These helicopters will be made for commercial use. Tata Group’s Tata Advanced Systems Limited Company (TASL) will manage the assembly line for these helicopters.
These helicopters will be manufactured in Vadodara, Gujarat. Tata and Airbus are already jointly manufacturing 40 C295 transport aircraft here. These single-engine H130 helicopters will be used for medical airlift, surveillance missions, VIP duties, and sightseeing services.
What is The Agreement of The Scorpene Class Submarine?
Earlier last year, during PM Modi’s visit to France, an agreement was signed to build 3 more Scorpene (Kalvari) class attack submarines at Mazagon Dockyards Limited i.e. MDL under Make in India.
In 2005, India signed an agreement with France’s Naval Group to build a Scorpene-class submarine for $3.75 billion i.e. about Rs 28.6 thousand crore. These submarines have been built in the country by the public sector company Mazgaon Dockyards Limited in collaboration with France.
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MoU will be Signed for Partnership in Defense Research
After this, these engines can be manufactured in India only. Talks are also going on between France’s Director General of Armament (DCA) and India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) regarding partnerships in defense research. Both institutions will soon sign a MoU regarding this.
The agreements signed between India and France in the defense sector are considered important for the self-reliant India mission. This is also an important step to make Indian forces independent. Besides, India-France also discussed partnerships in science, technology, and digital development regarding the target of developing India by 2047.
Macron congratulated PM Modi on the launch of the India-Middle East Corridor
Apart from this, both leaders also discussed many issues related to global interest. President Macron congratulated PM Modi on the launch of the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Delhi in September 2023. PM Modi welcomed the appointment of a French diplomat for this project.
During the bilateral meeting, Modi-Macron condemned the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. Both leaders also agreed that civilians living in Gaza are being harmed due to the war. He also stressed the need for a ceasefire to respect international humanitarian law and deliver aid to the people of Gaza.
Modi-Macron agreed on ceasefire in Gaza, peace in the Red Sea
Apart from this, the increasing tension in the Red Sea due to the Israel-Hamas war was also discussed. Both the leaders agreed that it is very important to follow international laws for seaborne trade.
Both countries agreed to work together for peace in the region. Apart from this, he expressed concern over the war that has been going on in Ukraine for almost two years and the human loss being caused due to it. Emphasis was placed on establishing peace in Ukraine under the UN Charter and international laws.
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