Macron and Modi celebrate their 25 years of strategic cooperation at the Louvre Museum

By Euronews en español con EFE • last update: 15/07/2023 – 11:47

French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi certified this Friday in Paris the deepening of strategic cooperation between France and India, which was accompanied by a major arms purchase.

In addition, France has decorated the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, with the Legion of Honor during the special invitation that it has offered him for the French national holiday, Bastille Day.

French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron has spent months trying to lure non-aligned countries like India into a position of clear rejection of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

During the meeting, the Indian president said that his country is willing to contribute to “restoring lasting peace.” In addition, both leaders deepened their strategic cooperation. India has announced that it will make a major purchase of French weapons.

India announced yesterday its intention to buy 26 new Rafale fighter jets and three Scorpene-class submarines, giving a new boost to the powerful French military industry.

India already has 36 Rafale in its Air Force and the new devices will be of the naval version, in order to equip the new aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy, for a contract that could be valued between 3,000 and 4,000 million euros, according to the French press. .

As for the three submarines, they will join six others that India previously contracted, half of which will be built in Indian shipyards under a technology transfer agreement.

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