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India and France renewed the defence practice statement for different 10 years connected Tuesday (February 17, 2026) astatine the 6th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue successful Bengaluru.
In the meeting, co-chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs of France Catherine Vautrin, India asked France to summation “indigenous content” successful the Rafale by up to 50%, and besides grow the Rafale’s maintenance, repair and overhaul installation successful India.
The practice statement was signed by India’s Defence Secretary and France’s Deputy Director General for International Relations and Strategy. Besides, some countries announced Reciprocal Deployment Officers astatine Indian Army and French Land Forces establishments.
The 2 Ministers discussed a scope of bilateral information and defence issues, including precedence areas for co-development and co-production of equipment.
The Defence Ministry said the 2 leaders emphasised connected the request for a person defence partnership, connecting industries of some nations, particularly successful the tract of niche technology. It said the 2 Ministers reaffirmed the committedness to heighten military-to-military practice arsenic a cardinal pillar of the strategical partnership.
Mr. Singh said the caller India-EU Security and Defence Partnership marked a important measurement successful deepening the corporate engagement. “Both Ministers agreed to leverage this framework, some bilaterally and successful the wider European discourse for tangible outcomes that volition fortify determination stability, heighten associated capabilities, and reenforce the enduring Indo-French strategical alignment,” the Ministry said.
An MoU connected Joint Venture was besides signed for the manufacturing of Hammer missiles successful India betwixt the Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Electronics Limited and Executive Vice President, Safran Electronics and Defence.
Mr. Singh emphasised that India has been the archetypal responder and nett information supplier for countries successful the Indian Ocean Region and ever extends assistance to them successful the defence, information and maritime domains to augment their capabilities and ward disconnected immoderate adversary.
On terrorism, helium said Pakistan has a agelong past of nurturing cross-border coercion to make disturbance and unit successful India. “This has created a superior menace to bid successful the region,” helium said.
