India and France have made progress in discussions on the Rafale fighter jet programme following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron…reports Asian Lite News Desk
India and France have made progress in discussions on the Rafale fighter jet programme, with New Delhi continuing to emphasise greater local content and domestic manufacturing as a key element of defence cooperation, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Rafale programme was among a range of issues discussed during the meeting between the two leaders, who reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral ties. According to Misri, the discussions covered civil nuclear energy, defence, security, space, trade and investment, technology, innovation, education, mobility and people-to-people exchanges.
Briefing reporters after the talks, Misri said the two sides had made headway in negotiations related to the Rafale programme. Responding to a question on the issue, he said: “Talks between the two countries have advanced.”
The comments come amid growing strategic cooperation between India and France, with defence remaining a central pillar of the relationship. Both countries have expanded collaboration in recent years across several sectors, including security, technology and energy.
Misri said discussions between Modi and Macron reflected the broader direction of the partnership, while also highlighting India’s priorities in future defence projects.
He noted that Prime Minister Modi has consistently advocated advancing the “Make in India” initiative alongside a framework of “co-development, co-design, co-production” in defence cooperation.
While the Rafale programme featured in the discussions, Misri indicated that the broader focus was on ensuring that future defence collaborations contribute to domestic manufacturing capabilities.
“There were talks on Rafale and other issues in today’s discussions, but I will say the underlying theme was that in case of any defence platform we will move forward on the basis that there should be maximum local content, local manufacturing and our cooperation should be designed keeping this in mind,” said Misri.
The emphasis on local production aligns with India’s wider efforts to strengthen indigenous defence manufacturing and reduce reliance on imported military equipment. Successive governments have sought to increase domestic participation in defence projects through policies aimed at boosting local industry, technology transfer and manufacturing capacity.
India has increasingly promoted defence partnerships that include greater involvement of domestic companies and production facilities, alongside opportunities for technology sharing and joint development. Officials have repeatedly argued that such arrangements help build long-term industrial capabilities while supporting national security objectives.
France remains one of India’s key strategic partners, particularly in the defence sector. The two countries maintain regular high-level engagement and have collaborated on a range of defence and security initiatives over the years.
The latest discussions between Modi and Macron took place against the backdrop of expanding cooperation across multiple areas of mutual interest. Alongside defence, the leaders reviewed progress in sectors including trade, investment, innovation, education, and space, underscoring the breadth of the bilateral relationship.
Although Misri did not provide specific details about the next steps in the Rafale discussions, his remarks suggested that negotiations are continuing to move forward within the broader framework of strengthening India-France defence cooperation.
The talks also reinforced New Delhi’s position that future defence partnerships should support domestic manufacturing goals and increase local participation in major defence programmes, a priority that remains central to India’s long-term strategic and industrial policy.
