Bengaluru, February 18, 2026: India and France have significantly deepened their strategic partnership by renewing their defence cooperation agreement for another 10 years, signing a joint venture to manufacture Hammer missiles in India, and announcing reciprocal deployment of military officers during the 6th Annual Defence Dialogue held in Bengaluru.
High-Level Talks in Bengaluru
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and France’s Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Catherine Vautrin co-chaired the ministerial dialogue in Karnataka’s capital. The meeting focused on expanding co-development and co-production in critical defence technologies and strengthening industry-to-industry collaboration.
Both sides described defence cooperation as a central pillar of the India-France Strategic Partnership. The leaders emphasised closer military engagement and enhanced interoperability between their armed forces.
10-Year Defence Pact Renewed
A major outcome of the India-France Defence Dialogue was the renewal of the bilateral defence cooperation agreement for another decade. The agreement was formally signed by India’s Defence Secretary and France’s Deputy Director General for International Relations and Strategy.
The renewal signals long-term commitment and strategic trust between the two nations at a time of evolving global security challenges.
Hammer Missile Manufacturing in India
In a significant push for defence manufacturing under the Make in India initiative, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Safran Electronics and Defence of France to establish a joint venture for manufacturing Hammer missiles in India.
The move is expected to enhance indigenous production capabilities and reduce dependence on imports, while also boosting high-technology defence manufacturing in the country.
Reciprocal Deployment of Officers
India and France also announced reciprocal deployment of officers at Indian Army and French Land Forces establishments. This step aims to enhance operational understanding, joint planning and military training coordination.
The French Defence Minister welcomed the decision to convert Exercise Shakti between the two armies from a biennial to an annual exercise, reflecting growing operational synergy.
Strategic Context and Regional Security
Rajnath Singh highlighted India’s role as a “First Responder” and “Net Security Provider” in the Indian Ocean Region. He reiterated India’s commitment to supporting partner nations in maritime security and defence capacity-building.
On terrorism, the Raksha Mantri stated that cross-border terrorism continues to pose serious challenges to regional peace and stability. He underlined the need for collective efforts to counter such threats.
The discussions also took note of the recent India-EU Security and Defence Partnership framework, which both sides agreed could be leveraged for broader regional and European engagement.
Guard of Honour and Diplomatic Significance
Catherine Vautrin, on her maiden visit to India as French Defence Minister, was accorded a Guard of Honour upon arrival at HAL airport in Bengaluru. Rajnath Singh congratulated her on assuming office at a critical moment for European and global security.
He appreciated France’s commitment to strategic autonomy and a robust European defence posture, describing France as one of India’s most trusted defence partners.
The Annual Defence Dialogue serves as a structured ministerial-level platform to review progress and chart the future course of bilateral defence cooperation.
