New Delhi: India has offered the indigenously developed Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher system to France as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Emmanuel Macron discussed the expansion of defence and security cooperation between the two sides.
The Pinaka system, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Army, found its first foreign customer in 2023 when Armenia signed a $245-million deal for it. Several other countries, including Indonesia and Nigeria, have expressed interest in the weapon system.
Modi “invited the French Army to take a closer look at the Pinaka MBRL, emphasising that an acquisition of this system by France would be another milestone in Indo-French defence ties”, said a joint statement.
France is one of India’s closest strategic partners in Europe and defence and security cooperation is among the strongest pillars of the bilateral relationship. Over the years, France has supplied a range of combat jets and submarines to India, and the two sides are in negotiations for New Delhi to acquire 26 Rafale-M combat jets and three Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy.
The joint statement said the two leaders reviewed the collaboration for constructing the Scorpene submarines in India, including indigenisation of components, the work to fit an air independent propulsion (AIP) system developed by DRDO in the P75-Scorpene submarines and analyses for the “possible integration of the Integrated Combat System (ICS) into the future P75-AS submarines”.
India has so far acquired six submarines under the P75 Scorpene-class project, the last of which was commissioned into the navy on January 15. New Delhi now has plans for a follow-on order for three more submarines of the same class.
The two sides, the joint statement said, welcomed ongoing discussions on missiles, helicopter engines and jet engines. They welcomed the cooperation between entities in the Safran group and their Indian counterparts, which are working on the development of aero engines.
Macron also welcomed the decision to include India as an observer in the Eurodrone programme, managed by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), a European intergovernmental body that manages collaborative armament programmes involving Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. This, Macron said, is “another step forward in the growing strength of our partnership in defence equipment programmes”.
Besides regular military exercises and joint patrolling by maritime patrol aircraft, the two countries launched FRIND-X or France-India Defence Startup Excellence last December to foster defence innovation and partnerships.
Modi and Macron stressed the early launch of a research and development framework for cooperation in defence technologies between DRDO and France’s Directorate General of Armament (DGA).
Modi and Macron also condemned all forms of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, and called for disruption of terror financing networks and safe havens. “They further agreed that no country should provide safe haven to those who finance, plan, support, or commit terrorist acts,” the joint statement said.
Without directly naming Pakistan, the joint statement sought concerted action against all terrorists, including through designation of individuals affiliated with groups listed by the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee. Both sides reiterated their commitment to work together in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), No Money For Terror (NMFT) and other multilateral platforms.
