New Delhi [India], February 19 : French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that India's push to co-produce Rafale fighter jets is a "legitimate" ambition that aligns with the "direction of history."
Speaking to the French Media contingent at the sidelines of the AI-India Impact Summit, President Macron emphasized that the world in 2040 and 2050 will have an even greater need for robust defense capabilities, particularly as regional powers like China advance their own combat aviation. He noted that India, once primarily a customer, is now seeking a deeper industrial partnership, reported French Medi BFM TV.
"The Indians, who are currently customers, want to co-produce with us; we have seen the Rafale here, but they want to co-produce combat aircraft in India. They want to handle more of the maintenance, which is legitimate," Macron said.
The French President underscored the long-term necessity of this partnership, predicting that India's requirement for advanced aviation will only grow in the coming decades. "Looking ahead to 2040 and 2050, I am telling you, India will need combat aviation. This is the direction of history," he added.
Meanwhile, he also told India Today, "I don't see how people can criticize because it makes your country stronger, it increases the strategic relation between us, and it creates more jobs here. And so, very clearly, we are extremely, I would say, committed to having a maximum number of Indian components and manufacturing a maximum number of critical devices in India.
"This is exactly the rationale under this Tata-Airbus deal. So we will do the same for, for the Rafale, you can count on us," Macron said.
India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) led by Defence Minister Rajnath singh recently gave its nod for the acquisition of 114 Rafale Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh had earlier told ANI that this would be the first time that the Rafales would be manufactured outside France with 40 to 50 per cent localisation under the 'Make in India' programme.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Singh said the programme is being implemented through a government-to-government agreement with no intermediaries and full transparency. He added that it will allow the integration of Indian weapons and systems on the aircraft, which he described as a key feature of the project.
Meanwhile speaking to French media on the sidelines of the India AI summit Macron used the Indian example to urge European nations to consolidate their own defence industries and move toward a "European standard" to remain competitive on the global stage.
He argued that strategic state decisions must take precedence over corporate interests to ensure Europe does not become irrelevant.
"So we Europeans, if we have a sense of history, have an interest in reaching an agreement right now, and therefore in having a common model. So, first we have the strategic decision, and then we have discussions about the companies," Macron said.
Warning against fragmentation within Europe, Macron stressed the importance of unity in the face of rising global competition. "The need to have a European standard. We must create a standard together; otherwise, we will have nothing," he cautioned.