Lorient
France has reaffirmed its support for India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, particularly in the defense sector. During the 2024 defense exhibition in France, Hugues du Plessis d’Argentre, Managing Director of Euronaval, emphasized the strong partnership between the two countries, especially in naval defense. He highlighted 70 years of cooperation, stating that France has assisted in establishing 20 factories in India, contributing to local production of naval assets like submarines.
It was reiterated that India is one of France’s key defense customers, with a focus on building critical naval assets within India under the ‘Make in India’ vision. He noted the possibility of future collaboration between French and Indian defense companies for producing equipment that could be exported to other countries
The exhibition also featured discussions on the impact of global tensions on defense technology. Innovations in drones, including floating and underwater drones driven by artificial intelligence, were among the highlights. Euronaval 2024, held from November 4th to 7th in Paris, is expected to feature around 500 exhibitors from 30 countries, including India.
