Narendra Modi’s visit to France on the occasion of the July 14 parade, which coincides with the twenty-five years of the strategic partnership between Paris and New Delhi, will be closely followed by defense circles. While the Indian Ministry of Defense would have given, Thursday, July 13, its agreement in principle to the acquisition of 26 Rafale and three Scorpene class submarines, according to the Reuters agency, the stay of Mr. Modi should allow it is up to the executive to promote this military cooperation, which has become crucial in the current geopolitical context and major for the French arms industry.
In recent days, discussions on the Rafale appeared to be very advanced. “France is in pole position”, had confirmed, WorldIndia’s Ambassador to Paris, Jawed Ashraf. “The discussions are very positive”, confirms for its part, this Thursday, a French source. This contract, if it materializes, will be a continuation of a first order of 36 Rafale, signed by India in 2016, for an amount of 7.8 billion euros. However, this agreement has been the subject, since 2021, of a judicial investigation for suspicions of “corruption” and “favoritism”.
For several years, France has succeeded in becoming one of India’s main partners in the arms market. Over the period 2018-2022, Paris sold New Delhi nearly 30% of its military equipment, thus becoming its second largest defense supplier. These exchanges remain lower than those, historical, between Russia and India – Moscow supplied the Indian army about 45% of its equipment over the same period –, but are far ahead of the United States, which has peaked at 11% of these imports in recent years.
“Equilibrium power” in Asia
Mr. Modi’s stay in Paris should also be an opportunity for the Elysée to support his new ambitions for France in the Indo-Pacific. The sale of Dassault Aviation’s 26 Rafales would equip India’s first aircraft carrier, the vikrant, commissioned in September 2022. The acquisition of three new conventional Scorpene-type submarines would be part of a program launched in 2005, aimed at providing India with six submarines of the same class . The last one should be delivered in 2024.
Paris’ renewed interest in New Delhi is partly linked to the war in Ukraine. While Moscow has moved closer to Beijing since the start of the conflict, India wants to strengthen its strategic autonomy, which began in the early 2000s. Anxious to maintain a role as a “power of balance” in Asia and to limit the risks of escalation with China on its Himalayan border, New Delhi is increasingly seeking to limit its dependence on Russian armaments.
You have 31.63% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.