India, France to hold 6th bilateral defence meeting in Bengaluru on February 17

New Delhi: India and France will hold the sixth annual bilateral defence meeting in Bengaluru on Tuesday in which the two nations will renew a ten-year cooperation agreement and sign a memorandum of understanding on the production of Hammer missiles in India in partnership with Bharat Electronics Limited, officials said here on Sunday.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin will also witness the virtual inauguration of the H125 Light Utility Helicopter Final Assembly of Tata Airbus by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron at Vemagal in Kolar district.

Happening two and half years after the fifth bilateral meeting, the high-level engagement between the two ministers will lead to renewal of the defence cooperation agreement with enhanced stress on expanding industrial collaboration.

Traditionally defence has been an important pillar of the relationship between New Delhi and Paris. The strong and enduring bilateral ties were reflected in 2024-2025 through a series of high-profile exchanges.

Prime Minister Modi was the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade in July 2023, before the French President graced the Republic Day Parade 2024 as the Chief Guest.

At the Rajnath-Catherine meeting, an announcement is also expected on reciprocal deployment of officers at the Indian Army and French Land Forces establishments.

Moreover, the two ministers will witness the inauguration of the Tata-Airbus final assembly line for Airbus H125 helicopters at Vemagal. This will be India’s first private helicopter manufacturing unit, which is expected to roll out the first chopper in 2027.

The made-in-India H125 helicopter will not only be pitched for markets in India and other Asian nations, it may also meet the Indian armed forces's requirement for a light multi-role helicopter, especially on the icy heights of the country’s Himalayan frontiers.

The two companies have plans to manufacture a military version, the H125M with high levels of indigenous components and technologies, that can participate in helicopter tenders when floated by the armed forces.

At Aero India 2025, BEL and Safran Electronics and Defence signed a 50:50 joint venture for the production of Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) smart precision-guided air-to-ground weapon system, in India. The Feb 17 MoU is likely to take the collaboration forward.

India and France have a long-standing defence relationship with the purchase of Dassault Ouragan (Toofani) and Mystere aircraft for the IAF in the 1950s and Alouette Light Helicopter (Chetak) since the 1960s for the armed forces.

Over the years, Paris has emerged as a trusted supplier of military hardware ranging from Mirage-2000 and Rafale combat jets, Scorpene submarines, Alize anti-submarine aircraft, Milan anti tank missiles, air surveillance radar and engines for Dhruv advanced light weight helicopters, manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

Earlier this week, the Defence Ministry gave a green signal to a mega defence deal of buying 114 Rafale aircraft from France in a Rs 3.25 lakh crore deal. New Delhi and Paris are also finalising another major contract to manufacture the engines of fifth generation fighter aircraft in India.

The armed forces of India and France have been regularly carrying out three major wargames - Exercise Shakti involving the land forces, Exercise Varuna between the two navies and Exercise Garuda between the two air forces.

To further consolidate the defence relationship, the two countries in March 2018, agreed to create an annual defence dialogue at the ministerial level.

The recent India-EU Security & Defence Partnership marks a significant step in deepening collective engagement with European nations and Military-to-Military cooperation is on an increase.