Strategic alignment on defence production and technology cooperation is set to guide talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on February 17, 2026.

According to a post on the Indian Prime Minister’s official website New Delhi is looking to advance efforts to localise military manufacturing and attract foreign investment into high-technology sectors. The meeting coincides with France’s participation in the AI Impact Summit hosted by India in collaboration with the United Nations (UN).

The summit comes amid broader geopolitical shifts driving closer security partnerships across the Indo-Pacific. The Indian Government statements related to the French delegation’s visit have indicated that the leaders will assess progress in the India-France Strategic Partnership and expand cooperation into emerging industries, including artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and space technologies.

During the visit, the two sides plan to launch the India-France Year of Innovation 2026, convening businesses, researchers and start-ups from both countries. India’s Ministry of Defence and France’s defence authorities are also expected to advance a framework enabling domestic production of French origin HAMMER precision-guided munitions through a joint venture with Safran (EPA:SAF), supporting India’s push for indigenous defence capabilities.

HAMMER has been an important Air to Ground precision strike weapon for India’s fleet of Mirage 2000 and Rafale fighter aircraft, especially in air operations targeting terrorist bases inside Pakistan.

The initiative precedes a potential agreement for India to procure 114 additional Rafale fighter aircraft from Dassault Aviation (EPA:AM). India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and France’s minister Catherine Vautrin will discuss the proposal at the sixth India-France Annual Defence Dialogue in Bengaluru.

The performance of HAMMER and Rafale platforms has purportedly impressed the Indian forces to the point that major follow-on orders and joint production has become a major agenda point in bilateral relations.

Strengthened defence collaboration and technology transfer are expected to support India’s industrial strategy, with investors monitoring potential spillovers into aerospace supply chains, domestic manufacturing capacity and long-term bilateral trade flows.

A defence partnership with France is also seen as an important hedge against overreliance on either the US or Russia for India’s military imports.

The strategy of sourcing French weapons platforms that are as good if not superior to their US or Russian counterparts has been a pattern for Indian forces since the 1950s beginning with Ouragan jet fighters in the Indian Airforce, Anti Submarine Warfare propeller aircraft Alize that flew from India’s then flagship aircraft carrier INS Vikrant starting in 1960s.

With orders for Rafale-M already placed by the Indian Navy and the new order for the Airforce being discussed it is safe to say the pattern will continue to position France as a less polarising choice for India in its geopolitical alignment.