Bengaluru buzzed with defense diplomacy as India and France recommitted to a decade-long defense pact, unveiling Hammer missile production in India. Ministers Rajnath Singh and Catherine Vautrin steered the sixth Annual Dialogue, navigating a world of flux where the Indian Ocean looms large.
Priorities crystallized around collaborative innovation, shared manufacturing, advanced tech partnerships, and industry bridges. The star deal: BEL and Safran Electronics & Defense’s MoU for Hammer missiles—Rafale’s precision strike asset—now ‘Made in India,’ supercharging self-reliance and airpower.
Renewal signatures underscore enduring alliance, with army officer exchanges set to sharpen joint ops and interoperability. Singh spotlighted India’s regional bulwark role against terror threats from Pakistan, while Vautrin cheered annual drills.
This isn’t transactional—it’s a tapestry of strategic alignment and foresight. As negotiations for more Rafales progress, local Hammer output positions India as a defense manufacturing hub, heralding a new era of empowered, autonomous forces.