PM Modi hosts French President Macron in India, both praise growing ties

The Story in Brief

French President Emmanuel Macron began a three-day visit to India focused on technology and defence, with a potential multibillion-euro deal for 114 Dassault Rafale fighters on the table. Indian officials travelling with Macron expressed confidence a contract could be finalised; India’s defence ministry said the “majority” of the jets would be manufactured in India. The visit, Macron’s fourth since 2017, started in Mumbai where he honoured the victims of the 2008 attacks and met Bollywood figures before meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The leaders described each other as “dear friend”, and Modi called the partnership one for global stability. They inaugurated, by videoconference, a Tata-Airbus helicopter final assembly line in Vemagal to build the Airbus H125. French group Safran and Bharat Electronics Limited signed an agreement to form a joint venture to make AASM Hammer guided bombs. Bilateral trade is around $18 billion and French direct investment in India is nearly $15 billion.

The Indian Opinion

Coverage includes some strong and promotional language that merits scrutiny. Describing a possible Rafale purchase as the “contract of the century” is an opinion that highlights scale but risks overstating certainty while negotiations continue. Similarly, repeated references to close personal rapport between leaders may serve diplomatic narrative more than clarify policy outcomes. Claims by third parties – for example that India has agreed to stop buying Russian oil – remain unconfirmed here and should be treated cautiously. An ordinary reader would note the clear facts on planned defence and industrial initiatives, but also the remaining uncertainties on final deals and on differences over issues such as Ukraine.

Original article: France and India hail growing ties as Modi hosts Macron (IndoDaily)

This story was summarised and commented on by AI from the source linked above.