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HOW PM MODI’S FRANCE VISIT WILL HAVE INDIA’S DEFENCE NEEDS AS KEY FOCUS AREA

No-1 NDA Coaching Center in Lucknow Up for discussion are the co-development of a high-thrust engine for India’s stealth fighter jet programme, purchase of jets for aircraft carrier and submarines

On July 14, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Bastille Day Parade in Paris as the guest of honour and hold discussions with president Emmanuel Macron during his visit to France. After Modi’s eventful visit to the US, where New Delhi managed to get Washington on board for transfer of jet engine technology, all eyes are now on India’s negotiations with France to co-develop a high-thrust engine for the country’s stealth fighter jet programme, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

Besides co-development of a more powerful engine, the Indian Navy’s acquisition of fighter jets for aircraft carrier and additional Scorpene-class submarines may also get attention during deliberations between the two sides. [No-1 NDA Coaching Center in Lucknow]

France has become a key defence partner of India, given the delivery of Rafale fighter jets, joint development of Scorpene submarines (six Kalvari submarines by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited) and the Airbus deal to manufacture C-295 tactical transport aircraft in Gujarat.

It is notable that France has emerged as a big gainer in defence purchases by India, after Russia. Between 2017 and 2021, 85 per cent of India’s military imports were from three countries: Russia (46 per cent), France (27 per cent), and the US (12 per cent). France was one of the first countries with which India signed a ‘strategic partnership’ in the post-Cold War era, in January 1998. Moreover, France was one of the few nations to support India’s nuclear tests in 1998. The two countries have signed the ‘Agreement for the provision of reciprocal logistics support between their armed forces’, similar to one between India and the US.

A senior Indian defence official said the engine issue concerning India’s stealth fighter jet program looks set to be resolved with the cooperation of France. Currently, developers of the AMCA are negotiating with the US, France and the UK for co-developing a high-thrust 110 kN engine for the upgraded MK-2 version of the jet.

France’s Safran is believed to have agreed to completely share its jet engine technology with India to help develop the high-thrust 110kN engine. Safran has already co-developed a helicopter engine for India’s homegrown chopper fleet, and has been negotiating over the fighter jet engine for long. A defence source claimed that Safran had, in 2012, offered total transfer of technology but the terms were not agreeable to DRDO (Defence Research Development Organisation).

India has plans to locally develop the high-thrust 110kN engine for the AMCA MK-2, which is expected to go into production by 2035. The DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which is developing the AMCA, is looking for the high-thrust 110 kN engine to meet supercruise requirements in the MK-2 version. This is not available in the existing engines in the global market.

The hunt is also on for an ideal naval fighter jet. Although no announcements have been made, the Indian Navy is believed to have expressed preference for the French Rafale-M over the F/A-18 Super Hornet of the US for its aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. Though the Navy had issued a request for information to foreign players way back in 2017, the race appears to have reached a crucial stage now as the countdown begins for PM Modi’s visit to France.

For years, the Indian Navy has been waiting for India-made fighter jets for its aircraft carrier. The naval version of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) failed to meet the Navy’s expectations, and the programme had to be abandoned. Now, the ADA is developing the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) for the navy. But the plane is still in the research and development stage, with the first test flight expected only by 2026 and induction by 2031. So, in the meantime, the Indian Navy is eyeing at least 26 fighter jets for its aircraft carrier as a ‘stop-gap arrangement’.

The issue of purchase of three Scorpene submarines may also be discussed during Modi’s visit. A section in the defence ministry is of the view to have these additional submarines to bridge the requirement gap while the wait continues for India’s Project-75 (P-75) submarine programme to fructify.

No-1 NDA Coaching Center in Lucknow

No-1 NDA Coaching Center in Lucknow

HOW PM MODI’S FRANCE VISIT WILL HAVE INDIA’S DEFENCE NEEDS AS KEY FOCUS AREA

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