French defence firm CEO meets CDS Gen Anil Chauhan, discuss opportunities under 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'
22 Dec 2022 13:19:29
New Delhi, Dec 22: In order to give a boost to the Defence partnership between India and France, Pierre-Eric Pommellet, the Chairman and CEO of French Naval Group, called on India's Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Anil Chauhan on Wednesday, December 21, said the Defence Ministry.
According to the Defence Ministry, the two discussed the ongoing defence collaboration between the two countries and explored further opportunities under India's 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative. The Naval Group is a major French industrial group specialising in naval defence design, development and construction with its headquarters in Paris.
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India's defence relations with the French reached new heights with India buying 36 Rafale fighters for the Indian Air Force in 2016. Earlier, following a meeting with French Defence Minister at the Third India-France Annual Defence Dialogue in December 2021, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said that a French company will be manufacturing an engine in India in collaboration with an Indian firm.
The Naval group's first Barracuda class submarine entered into service in the French Navy in June 2022. Earlier, during the commissioning of INS Vela in December last year, the then Chief of the Indian Navy Admiral Karambir Singh had said that the P-75 project represents the growing strategic congruence between India and France.