French Defence Minister Florence Parly who is presently on a visit to India, has said that France is ready to meet any requirement for more Rafale combat jets from India. Parley, who is in India for holding extensive talks related to Indo-French strategic and defence ties, made these remarks while addressing a virtual conversation organised by Ananta Centre on India-France cooperation. She also highlighted that France is committed to supporting the “Make in India” initiative, especially for defence hardware. When asked about what France thinks of China’s rising assertive activities, Parly said that China is also a partner for trade and commerce but France had also noticed that Beijing is getting more and more aggressive in the region, especially in the South China Sea.
Key Points:
1. “France is ready to answer any additional needs. There is room for new developments,” said Parley referring to the Rafale jets.
2. As the French defence minister expressed the willingness of France to supply more Rafales, she also said that the use of Rafale jets by the air forces of both countries is a “real asset and strength” for bilateral cooperation.
3. India had made the ₹59000 crore deal for 36 Rafale jets with France in 2016 and France has so far delivered 33 of the jets. The French defence minister had also attended the event marking the induction of the first batch of Rafales into the IAF in July 2020.
4. Parley also said she is extremely happy that the Indian Air Force is satisfied with its Rafales. "We are very proud that despite Covid-19, the 36 aircraft will be delivered on time according to the contract. It’s a real achievement,” Parly added.
5. "France, more than any other country, understands the necessity of the Indian content and we are fully committed to the Make in India initiative as well as to the further integration of Indian manufacturers into our global supply chains,” she said while assuring India that France will support their Make in India initiative.
6. China has played an important role when the Paris conference about climate change and China is a major player to implement this fight against climate change, said Parley while responding to a question on China's current assertive practices. “It’s a delicate balance that must be found. China is a major country, there are areas where cooperation can be envisaged and developed," she added.
7. She also ascertained that maritime lanes must remain free and France has observed the attempts to close free movement in the [South] China Sea but France wants to make sure that this freedom of navigation is respected." France regularly deploys its warships in this region to “express our right to navigate freely in these waters,” she further said supporting France's opinion on the maritime lanes.
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8. “So, we are an Indian-Indo-Pacific country and we want to develop a very close multilateral relationship with the neighbouring countries. Of course, India is at the centre of this strategy. We have developed a very good relationship with Australia,” Parly said when asked what the potential impact on India-France relations is after the AUKUS alliance. She also said that Australia made its own decision and it was certainly very disappointing but the country would continue being a major partner.
