India-France ties enter new phase with focus on defence, trade and technology

18 Feb 2026 Evaluate

Amid increasing geopolitical disturbances, India and France have elevated their ties to a ‘special global strategic partnership’ with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron undertaking significant ramp up of bilateral cooperation in areas of defence, trade and technology. The two leaders also virtually inaugurated an assembly line in Karnataka’s Vemagal to build Airbus H125 helicopters.

Modi said ‘We take pride in the fact that, together, India and France will manufacture in India the world’s only helicopter capable of flying to the heights of Mount Everest and export it to the entire world’. He added ‘The year 2026 is a turning point in the relations between India and Europe. Just a few days ago, we signed the largest and most ambitious Free Trade Agreement in India’s history with the European Union’. He described India-France relationship as a force for global stability.

Recently, India and France had inked an intergovernmental agreement to procure 26 naval variants of Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 64,000 crore for the Indian Navy. India is procuring the jets from French defence major Dassault Aviation for deployment on board aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. The delivery of the jets will have to start around five years after signing of the contract.


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