Bengaluru News: India, France to hold key dialogue to boost defence cooperation on Feb 17

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold talks with his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin in Bengaluru on 17 February. The bilateral dialogue is expected to yield key outcomes that would boost defence cooperation between the two nations, news agency PTI reported.

A defence cooperation agreement is expected to be renewed for another 10 years, with an MoU on joint venture for "manufacturing of Hammer missiles" likely to be signed at the meeting in the presence of both the ministers, the defence ministry said on Sunday.

"The two ministers are also expected to witness the virtual inauguration of the H125 Light Utility Helicopter Final Assembly of Tata Airbus by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron at Vemagal in Karnataka," it said in a statement.

The meeting will take place while French President Emmanuel Macron visits Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai on Tuesday, before travelling to New Delhi to attend the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

The meeting will review the entire gamut of bilateral defence cooperation, with a focus on expanding industrial collaboration, officials said.

An announcement is also expected regarding the reciprocal deployment of officers between the Indian Army and French Land Forces establishments, the defence ministry said.

Defence has traditionally formed an important pillar of the relationship between the two countries.

The "strong and enduring bilateral ties" were vividly reflected in 2024-2025 through a series of high-profile exchanges, the statement said.

PM Modi was the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade in July 2023, before the French president graced the Republic Day Parade 2024 as the chief guest.

"The recent India-EU Security and Defence Partnership marks a significant step in deepening collective engagement with European nations," the ministry said.

Also, military-to-military cooperation is on the increase. India and France have been regularly carrying out three major exercises - Exercise Shakti with the Army, Exercise Varuna with the Navy, and Exercise Garuda with the Air Force -- and several other opportunity engagements, it said.

This would be Vautrin's maiden visit to India since taking over as the French defence minister on 12 October 2025, the statement said.

The India-France Annual Defence Dialogue is a structured ministerial-level bilateral meeting to review and guide defence and security cooperation.

The fifth edition of the meeting was held in France from October 11-13, 2023.

(With agency inputs)