French President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that India wants to coproduce Rafale jets with his country, describing it as a “legitimate” ambition of New Delhi.
“The Indians, who are currently customers, want to co-produce with us; we have seen the Rafale here, but they want to co-produce combat aircraft in India. They want to handle more of the maintenance, which is legitimate,” he was quoted as saying by the French media on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit here.
The French leader emphasised the long-term necessity of this partnership, predicting that India’s requirement for advanced aviation will only grow in the coming decades. “Looking ahead to 2040 and 2050, I am telling you, India will need combat aviation. This is the direction of history,” he added.
Macron used the Indian example to urge European nations to consolidate their own defence industries and move toward a “European standard” to remain competitive on the global stage.
He argued that strategic state decisions must take precedence over corporate interests to ensure Europe does not become irrelevant. “So, we Europeans, if we have a sense of history, have an interest in reaching an agreement right now, and therefore in having a common model. So, first we have the strategic decision, and then we have discussions about the companies,” Macron said.
Warning against fragmentation within Europe, Macron stressed the importance of unity in the face of rising global competition. “There is a need to have a European standard…we must create a standard together; otherwise, we will have nothing,” he said.