Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri highlighted the importance of indigenisation in the Rafale fighter jet deal with France. This underscores India’s commitment to defense self-reliance and boosting domestic manufacturing through the ‘Make in India’ initiative. During a briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Nice, Misri discussed ongoing discussions between India and France regarding the Rafale aircraft.
India’s Airforce currently operates Rafale, and both countries are actively engaging in discussions to further this collaboration. The emphasis is on moving towards ‘Make in India’ in the defense sector, promoting co-development, co-design, co-production, and co-manufacturing. Misri stressed the benefits of increasing design and manufacturing activities in India for the country.
The Foreign Secretary highlighted the need for more local content and manufacturing in defense platforms. He emphasized that future designs should prioritize local manufacturing. Discussions are underway between India and France on various defense platforms, with a focus on increasing local content and manufacturing. Prime Minister Modi recently visited Nice, France, before departing for Bratislava at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.
