France pitches for additional Rafales for India; joint fight against terror from Afghan theatre

French Defence Minister Florence Parly on Friday, said her country is ready to provide additional Rafale fighter jets to India if it requires and noted that the use of the same aircraft by the two strategic partners is a reflection of "real asset and strength" in their ties.

“I am very happy that the Indian Air Force is satisfied with its Rafale and we are very proud that despite Covid, the 36 aircraft will be delivered on time according to the contract... It's a real achievement," Parly said in reply to a question at a public session organised by India’s leading public policy body Ananta Aspen Centre.

The session was tilted ‘How does France cooperate with India to defend a rules-based Indo-Pacific region’

"Using the same aircraft is a real asset and strength. I am sure that there is room for new developments. We are ready to answer any additional needs of request that could be made by India," she said.

The French Minister also referred to India's planned induction of a second aircraft carrier and indicated that France will be interested in supplying the carrier-based jets. "We know that the aircraft carrier will soon be...that aircraft are needed. We are open and ready to provide any other Rafale if this is India's decision," she said.

Parly went on to say that the relationship between India and France has evolved so much over the years that the distance between the Ganges and the Seine rivers seems to have lessened.

Earlier in her opening remarks Parly noted that France and India are both viscerally committed to national sovereignty and independence. “I think that our industrial partnership is proof of that. France, more than any other country, understands the necessity of the Indian content. And we are fully committed to the "Make in India" initiative, as well as to the further integration of Indian manufacturers into our global supply chains. Make in India has been a reality for French industry for several years, particularly for defence equipment such as submarines.”

Referring to Indo-Pacific partnership, the Minister noted, “We want to preserve the Indopacific as an open and inclusive area. It must be free from any coercion and based on compliance with international law and multilateralism. To us, the Indo-Pacific in not an artificial juxtaposition of the Indian and Pacific oceans. It should be understood as a wide geographical continuum facing common challenges. So, we have developed an exceptional partnership. And it is more necessary than ever to reinforce it. As you well know, we face both global and regional challenges.”

Pointing to counter-terror cooperation amid threats from Afghanistan, the Minister said, “Terror has struck France and Europe repeatedly over the last few years and has not spared the Indo- Pacific, including India. This fight is not over and will continue for many years to come. The threat of attacks on our countries has not disappeared. I am thinking in particular of the situation in Afghanistan, which is a matter of concern for both France and India. Moreover, this threat needs to be addressed in a comprehensive manner, from the Levant to Africa.”

“We do not see France and India as the two poles of an exclusive partnership but rather as the core of a network of cooperation. We are already working together with the countries of the Indian Ocean, for example, to respond to environmental disasters and, if possible, to address them. The case of the hurricane Idaï in Mozambique in 2019 and more recently in Mauritius following the shipwreck of the Wakashio cargo ship, where France and India where the first to provide assistance, clearly demonstrated we have a shared special status and responsibility in the Indian Ocean region. We are involved in regional forums such as the Indian Ocean Navies Symposium or the Indian Ocean Commission, which France is very proud to chair this year.”