Defence cooperation remains one of the strongest pillars of India-France relations, increasingly marked by technology transfer, joint manufacturing and operational interoperability.
A major milestone was the successful completion of the P-75 Scorpene submarine project, with the sixth submarine commissioned into the Indian Navy in January 2025. France also delivered 36 Rafale fighter jets to India by 2022, significantly enhancing it’s air power capabilities.
On 28 April 2025, India and France signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement for procurement of 26 Rafale-M aircraft for the Indian Navy. The agreement includes transfer of technology and integration of indigenous weapons systems in line with it’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
French aerospace major Safran has strengthened its footprint in India, inaugurating a major aircraft engine Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility near Hyderabad in November 2025. The facility is India’s first deep-level engine MRO centre set up by a global OEM and is expected to service up to 300 LEAP engines annually. Safran has also announced an MRO shop for Rafale’s M88 engines and entered a joint venture with Bharat Electronics Limited to manufacture the HAMMER air-to-surface weapon in India.
Military exercises between the two countries have expanded in scope and complexity. The armies conducted Exercise SHAKTI 2025 in France, while the air forces held the eighth edition of Exercise GARUDA 2025 in France’s Mont-de-Marsan. Naval cooperation remains robust through Exercise VARUNA and participation in multilateral drills such as La Perouse and MILAN.
Strategic space cooperation is also gaining ground, with a Letter of Intent on Defence Space partnership signed in January 2024 and India upgrading its participation status in France’s AsterX space security exercises.
The defence relationship today goes beyond procurement – it reflects trust, interoperability, industrial collaboration and long-term strategic alignment.
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