France has highlighted its keen interest in Indian weapon systems after observing their performance in Operation Sindoor. French Army chief General Pierre Schill stated, “France has noted the performance of Indian weapon systems during Operation Sindoor and is interested in looking at long-range rockets, loitering munitions and counter-drone systems.”
The French general visited New Delhi during the UN Troop Contributing Countries Chiefs conference and held discussions with Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, focusing on deepening defence cooperation between the two nations.
According to a report in The Economic Times, General Schill emphasised the relevance of India’s indigenous technology, referencing specific systems and recent demonstrations. He said he was interested in looking at what systems were used by the Indian Army as they were renewing their own long-range artillery systems, referring to the possible acquisition of long-range Pinaka rocket systems by French forces. Demonstrations of these systems have already been provided to French officials, with particular attention given to their cost-effectiveness and accuracy, the report added.
The Indian Army’s operational use of these advanced systems, particularly during Operation Sindoor, was praised by the French delegation. The accuracy and adaptability of these weapons by Indian forces were cited as reasons for their attractiveness to France. Gen Schill observed that while India and France can cooperate in all new domains of warfare, long-range systems and loitering munitions are of specific interest.
Both countries are seeking to expand collaboration in emerging areas such as electronic warfare and artificial intelligence. The senior French officer said the two nations can look at co-developing capabilities for the emerging battlefield, including in the areas of artificial intelligence and electronic warfare. Gen Schill also remarked that cooperation in these domains could be very efficient because of the capabilities of both armies.
India and France are considering more extensive joint training in the future, the report added. The French general shared that India and France are looking to institutionalise annual army training exercises, building on the Shakti series. He added that the two sides are not only looking at increasing the number of training exercises but also the complexity of the joint training to include UAV training, counter-drone operations, and electronic warfare.