Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Paris for a two-day visit to France today. He will attend the traditional Bastille Day military parade as guest of honour and discuss major new defence deals. PM Modi will be the guest of honour for the July 14 military parade, which kicks off France’s national day celebrations, with the participation of Indian troops and Indian-flown French-made fighter jets underlining close defence ties.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s red-carpet welcome for PM Modi comes weeks after he was given the rare honour of a White House state dinner in Washington.
PM Modi’s visit will focus on strengthening India-France ties in various domains including defence and space.
India is planning to buy 26 more Rafale fighter jets and three Scorpene class conventional submarines from France, the news agency ANI reported on Monday. The proposals by the defence forces have been placed before the Defence Ministry and are likely to be announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France this week, the agency said citing sources.
As per the proposals, the Indian Navy will get 22 single-seated Rafale Marine aircraft along with four trainer aircraft, the report said, adding that the Navy had been pressing for acquiring these aircraft and submarines as they have been facing shortages in view of the security challenges around the country.
The aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and Vikrant have been operating the MiG-29s and need the Rafales for operations on both carriers.
The three Scorpene class submarines would be acquired under the repeat clause by the Navy as part of Project 75 where they would be built in the Mazagon Dockyards Limited in Mumbai, the agency said.
The deals are estimated to be worth over Rs 90,000 crore but the final cost would be clear only after the contract negotiations are completed which will be held after the deal is announced, the report said.