Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that France has agreed to jointly build an aircraft engine in India under the strategic partnership model of the government. The strategic partnership model aims at strengthening the defence cooperation between India and France. He made these remarks while addressing an event organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Rajnath Singh and his French counterpart Florence Parley had agreed to this during their wide-ranging talks on bilateral, regional, defence and defence industrial cooperation issues on Friday. French Defence Minister Florence Parley visited New Delhi on December 17 for the third Annual Defence Dialogue (ADD) between India and France.
Key Points:
1. "A big French company will manufacture an engine in India, thus far not made in the country, in collaboration with an Indian firm," Rajnath Singh said at the FICCI event.
2. Singh said that the project will be focused on the requirement for military helicopters that India plans to launch in the coming years. However, no details about the engine and its use as yet been disclosed by the defence minister.
3. "It was a matter of manufacturing of an engine. I am happy to say that the French government has agreed that a major French company will come to India and produce the engine here under the strategic partnership with an Indian company," Singh said, referring to his talks with Parly.
4. This move was aimed at promoting the 'Make in India' campaign of the government and also highlight that India aims to manufacture the military platforms and equipment required by the Indian armed forces. He has also said that manufacturing defence equipment in India is a high priority for security.
5. India also unveiled a strategic partnership (SP) model in 2017 to support joint ventures between select private Indian firms and foreign defence majors to develop military platforms in India.
6. India has also spent Rs 2,035 crore for the development of a fighter jet engine Kaveri to power indigenously-built aircraft, but the project is not yet completed. It was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 1989.
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7. "The ministers acknowledged their convergences on a number of strategic and defence issues. They expressed commitment to work together to enhance cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral forums," said a statement about the talks held between Singh and Parley.
