India-France Defence Dialogue: Hammer Missiles JV, 10-Year Pact

Vautrin's First India Visit as French Defence Minister

This will mark Vautrin’s maiden visit to India since her appointment as France’s Defence Minister on October 12, 2025. The India-France Annual Defence Dialogue provides a coordinated platform at the ministerial level to review and deepen defence and security cooperation. The fifth edition of the dialogue was conducted in France from October 11–13, 2023. 

Reviewing Full Spectrum of Bilateral Ties

"The meeting will review the entire gamut of bilateral defence cooperation, with a focus on expanding industrial collaboration,” the MoD said in an official statement.
"During the meeting, a defence cooperation agreement is expected to be renewed for another 10 years, with an MoU on a joint venture for the manufacturing of Hammer missiles likely to be signed in the presence of both defense ministers. An announcement is also expected with respect to reciprocal deployment of officers at the Indian Army and French Land Forces establishments,” it added.

Virtual Launch of H125 Helicopter Plant

The two ministers are also expected to witness the virtual inauguration of Tata Airbus's H125 Light Utility Helicopter Final Assembly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in Karnataka’s Vemagal.
From February 17–19, Macron will hold a three-day official visit to India. 

Evolving India-France Defence Pillar

Defence has always been a key pillar of India-France relations. The partnership was exemplified in recent years through Prime Minister Modi’s reception as the Guest of Honour at France’s Bastille Day Parade and President Macron’s participation as Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day Parade in 2024. Such an increasingly wide-ranging expansion of cooperation is part of a larger paradigm shift for India’s defence partnerships. 

Joint Military Exercises Strengthen Ties

Although Russia historically has been India’s largest supplier of large-scale military platforms, New Delhi has expanded procurement and technology partnerships in recent years, with France and Israel becoming major partners for combat aviation, precision arms, and advanced defence technologies.
There is more military-to-military engagement between the two sides; regular joint exercises such as Exercise Shakti (Army), Exercise Varuna (Navy), and Exercise Garuda (Air Force) are conducted, along with various other joint operations. India’s recently formed India-EU Security and Defence Partnership has extended India’s opportunities in engagement with European states.