French President Macron says Rafale deal will make India stronger, offers more defence cooperation including submarines

French President Emmanuel Macron said the proposed Rafale fighter jet deal with India will “make the country stronger,” affirming Paris’s willingness to increase indigenous content and deepen defence cooperation as part of a broad strategic partnership.

Speaking to reporters during the India AI Impact Summit 2026 on Fen 19, Macron welcomed India’s recent decision to approve the procurement of 114 additional Rafale jets — described as the “mother of all defence deals” — and said that ‘Make in India’ would be central to the programme, with plans to co-produce many of the aircraft components locally.

“We are always increasing indigenous components,” Macron said, emphasising that ongoing dialogue between French defence manufacturer Dassault Aviation and the Indian government aims to boost local manufacturing and strategic coordination. “I don’t see how people can criticise because it makes your country stronger, it increases strategic coordination between us, and it creates more jobs here.”

France’s support for higher Make in India content aligns with New Delhi’s push for defence indigenisation under national strategy, and officials say expanding local participation in aerospace manufacturing could strengthen India’s defence industrial base over the long term.

Macron also signalled France’s openness to deepen the defence partnership beyond fighter jets, including greater collaboration on submarines — a step that could bolster India’s naval capabilities. France has previously supplied Scorpene-class submarines to the Indian Navy, and local media have reported plans to procure additional vessels.

“It’s a new step forward to expand,” Macron said of the Rafale programme, noting that similar cooperation on submarines, engines and helicopters — including joint work with partners such as Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems — reflects an evolving defence relationship.

The defence talks coincided with India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) clearing initial approval for the 114 Rafale jets, a deal worth an estimated ₹3.25 lakh crore (about $35.65 billion), and possibly one of India’s largest defence procurements.

Under ongoing discussions, reports suggest that up to 90 of the 114 jets could be produced in India, with local joint-venture partners yet to be finalised.

Macron’s comments come amid a broader reaffirmation of India-France relations, which both leaders have described as at an “all-time high” and evolving into a Special Global Strategic Partnership. In addition to Rafale cooperation, the two countries have advanced collaborations in aerospace, missiles, and joint industrial initiatives.

India’s focus on integrating indigenous industry into global defence supply chains aligns with its long-standing Make in India initiative, aimed at reducing dependence on imports and fostering skilled manufacturing.

Macron said he sees expanded defence cooperation as mutually beneficial, contributing not only to national security but also to jobs and industrial growth in both countries.