France, India Discuss Defense Industrial Cooperation Amid Rafale Talks
India and France are nearing a major deal for 114 Rafale fighters ahead of French President Macron’s visit in February 2026. The Indian Air Force is examining a government-to-government framework that would combine a large order with expanded local manufacturing, including a partnership between HAL and Safran for an engine production plant. This proposal may signal a significant expansion of defense industrial cooperation between the two countries.