India and France Forge Stronger Defense Ties with New Missile Production Pact

India and France have strengthened their defense relations with agreements on Hammer Missiles production and a 10-year cooperation renewal. The pacts, signed during the 6th Annual Defence Dialogue, reinforce strategic alignment and bilateral collaboration, further promoting security and joint capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region.

On Tuesday, India and France solidified their defense partnership by signing Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) focusing on Hammer Missiles production and a 10-year defense cooperation renewal. These significant accords were endorsed in the presence of Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin.

The 6th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue in Bengaluru became a platform for exchanging two prominent MoUs. The first agreement addressed amendments and the renewal of a decade-long defense cooperation framework, formalized by Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and France's Lt Gen Eric Peltier.

A separate MoU established a joint venture for the production of Hammer missiles, initiated between Bharat Electronics Limited's Chairman Manoj Jain and Safran Electronics and Defence's Executive Vice President Alexander Ziegler. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh lauded France's unwavering dedication to strategic autonomy, while Catherine Vautrin highlighted defense as a relationship cornerstone, emphasizing joint exercises and military co-production.

(With inputs from agencies.)