France today expressed its readiness to provide more Rafale combat jets to the Indian Air Force (IAF) if required by India.

Visiting French Defence Minister Florence Parly said her country was “quite proud that, despite COVID-19, the delivery of the 36 aircraft (to India) will be on schedule, according to the contract.”

In a virtual conversation organised by Ananta Centre on rules-based Indo-Pacific region, she described the use of the Rafale fighter jets by the air forces of both countries as a “real asset and strength” for bilateral cooperation. “France is ready to answer any additional needs,” she added.

Strongly supporting New Delhi’s “Make in India” initiative, Parly said, Paris was making efforts to integrate Indian manufacturers into the global supply chains, like submarines.

She observed that China’s behaviour in the region was becoming “more and more aggressive”, adding France desired to find a “delicate balance” between addressing such behaviour and cooperating with Beijing on issues like climate change and trade.

The French minister is in India for the annual defence dialogue with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. She will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi apart from holding talks with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on regional security issues.

The talks between the two sides will cover all aspects of the wide-ranging Indo-French defence cooperation, including operational defence cooperation, particularly maritime security in the Indo-Pacific; industrial and technological partnership in line with Make in India; and counter-terrorism cooperation, the French Embassy said.

This visit highlights France’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific and the centrality of India in the French strategy. It comes in the wake of several major bilateral air, navy, and army exercises this year: Desert Knight 21 in January, Varuna in April, Shakti in November.

Minister Parly will stress France and India’s joint commitment to answering the challenges of the Indo-Pacific by bringing together friendly powers to defend the rule of law, offering a positive agenda to the countries of the region, and rejecting all forms of hegemony, the embassy said.