Modi, Macron to deepen strategic ties

Defence, business ties in focus as French prez begins India visit

- Rahul Singh

French President Emmanuel Macron, who will attend the 75th Republic Day celebrations as chief guest, will arrive in Jaipur on Thursday and hold in-depth talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to further bilateral cooperation and finalise new initiatives in a variety of key areas, the French embassy in Delhi said in a statement on the eve of the visit.

The talks will cover defence cooperation, collaborating in the vast Indo-Pacific region, charting the course to respond to challenges such as the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and poverty eradication, strengthening business ties, and cross-investments, the statement said.

Macron’s visit comes at a time when India is looking at buying 26 Rafale M fighters from France for the navy’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, the 45,000-tonne INS Vikrant. The country is also planning to build three more Scorpene-class submarines with technology from France to enhance the Indian Navy’s undersea capabilities. The two deals are estimated to have a combined value of €9 billion to €10 billion.