Amid heightened tensions between New Delhi and Beijing, French Defense Minister Florence Parly made a lightning trip to India on Thursday to promote the French military industry. However, France said that in addition to promoting arms sales, it also wants to promote diplomatic and strategic cooperation with India in the region. France has just held its first trilateral meeting with India and Australia to promote multifaceted cooperation in the region.
According to the AFP report, this is the French defense minister’s third visit to India since taking office. The message did not mention details of the defense minister’s itinerary in India, but there were separate meetings with India’s foreign minister and India’s national security adviser. The French defense minister concluded his visit to the country by participating in the official handover ceremony of five French fighter jets, the Rafale, which had been delivered earlier this summer. The planes were delivered to India earlier this summer. India has ordered a total of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France.
India is France’s most important partner in South Asia and a buyer of military goods. 10 years, India has ordered France 13 billion euros in military goods.
According to France’s defense minister, France and India cooperate well, and India enjoys a positive international influence, the country should be on the UN Security Council next year. France has also strengthened its cooperation with Australia, and has expanded its role in the region through cooperation with Australia and India. But France’s quest for cooperation in the region has subtle implications for China, AFP said.
According to AFP, the French defense minister’s visit to India comes at a time of escalating border disputes between India and China. The border dispute between China and India has erupted in the foothills of a plateau more than 4,000 meters above sea level, and casualties have been reported. The arrival of French military aircraft in India is considered to be helpful in improving the operational capabilities of the Indian Air Force. The French defense minister was in India to attend a fly-by-wire ceremony of Rafale fighter jets flown by Indian pilots.
French officials say that France’s cooperation with India is multifaceted. In addition to France’s desire to sell arms to India, among other products, France also supports India’s strategy of promoting national production of arms, and has promised technical assistance to India.
According to the French defense minister, her talks with India included references to the China-India border, and both sides also discussed Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The Defense Minister’s visit to India was accompanied by an important delegation, including officials from major French defense companies such as Dassault, Safran, MBDA and Thales. AFP said that India is undertaking a massive arms modernization program and that India has shown a need for aircraft, but also submarines, combat ships, weapons, drones and cyber defense. India is not only buying helicopters from the United States, defense systems and even guns from Israel, but also air defense S-400 missiles from Russia.
According to official French sources, French arms sales are facing a boost, with Switzerland and Finland interested in buying French Rafale, and the Croats and Greeks also wanting to buy arms. Official sources say that Paris desperately needs an arms export boom to maintain the viability of its defense industry. As for France’s strategy to help India manufacture its own, cooperation covers a number of programs for both the Air Force and the Navy, with France hoping to win more than a hundred tenders from the Indian Air Force and Navy.
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