PM Modi's France Visit: Acquisition Of Rafale-M, Jet-Engines And Submarines On Cards

In what would be a shot in the arm for Indian Navy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to sign a deal for the acquisition of 26 Dassault Rafale-Maritime (M) fighters and at least three add-on Scorpene-class diesel-electric 'killer-hunter' conventional submarines during his two-day visit to France this week.

PM Modi's France visit may also see India agreeing to France's involvement in the Navy's programme to build six nuclear-powered attack submarines or SSNs, via a technology transfer.

India and France are also expected to sign a defense-industrial deal to push India to scale up its manufacturing of hardware platforms through indigenously developed engines and technologies.

It is notable that France is the second large exporter of defence purchases to India, after Russia. Between 2017 and 2021, 85 per cent of India's military imports were from three countries: Russia (46 per cent), France (27 per cent), and the US (12 per cent).

The Indian Navy has been scouting for a suitable fighter to be deployed on aircraft carrier INS Vikrant to replace its aging MiG 29Ks.

Reportedly, Indian Navy has pinned hopes on Dassault's Rafale Marine, over the F-18 Super Hornets of the US.

In a rare honour, PM Modi has been invited as the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade (France's National Day) celebrations on July 14.

Speaking to ANI, Ambassador of France to India, Emmanuel Lenain said, "Well, it's going to be a very important visit. India is the guest of honour on our Bastille Day...our National Day. Every year we have a guest of honour but this year, it is very special that's the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between France and India and we wanted to have Indian troops in the parade and also Indian Rafales in the sky."

The prime minister is set to hold extensive talks with French President Emmanuel Macron during the visit. The defence and security cooperation between India and France has been on a major upswing since New Delhi's procurement of 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation.