Important agreements in the defense sector are going to be signed between the two countries during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India to attend the AI Summit (17-19 February). These include making joint helicopters and making hammer bombs. It is believed that during this time, Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi can also make important announcements regarding 114 Make in India Rafale fighter jets.
India and France will jointly make helicopters and hammer bombs
The Defense Ministry issued a statement on Sunday (15 February 2026) saying that the Airbus company of France (Europe) is going to jointly manufacture the H-125 light utility helicopter with the Tata company in Vemagal (Karnataka) near Bengaluru. Macron and PM Modi will virtually inaugurate this plant. During this time, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Defense Minister of France will be present in the plant. These LUH helicopters will be made for the Indian Army.
French Defense Minister Catherine Vatarin, who is visiting India with Macron, will also be present during the agreement with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in Bengaluru on 17 February to make Hammer Bomb in India. France’s Safran company manufactures these hammer bombs and they are launched from Rafale. These highly agile modular munition extended range (HAMMER), which can hit the ground from the sky, is a stand-off weapon (bomb) which has a range of about 70 kilometers.
India used hammer bomb during Operation Sindoor
During Operation Sindoor, these hammer bombs were used by the Indian Air Force to destroy the headquarters of terrorist organizations Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba operating from Pakistan. This hammer bomb can also be fired from Mirage-2000 and indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. This is the reason why these bombs will now be made in India.
According to the Defense Ministry, there will be an agreement between Rajnath Singh and the French Defense Minister in Bengaluru on defense cooperation between the two countries (India and France) for the next 10 years. Under this agreement, for the first time, each other’s officers are going to be deployed in the armies of both the countries. This will be the first time that soldiers from any other country will be deployed in the Indian Army.
Rafale gets green signal for manufacturing in India
Defense Acquisition Council (DAC), the apex committee of the Defense Ministry, on Thursday (12 February 2026) had given the green signal for the manufacturing of French fighter jet Rafale in India under Make in India. Under this deal, France’s Dassault company, in collaboration with an indigenous (Indian) company, will manufacture 114 Rafale fighter jets in India. It is believed that during Macron’s visit, both the countries can make important announcements regarding this Make in India Rafale fighter aircraft.
