“Buying French military equipment was attractive as it is accompanied by transfer of technology. The French Government gives buyers of military hardware the commitment that equipment and spares will always be available and that it will provide upgrades as technology evolves,” said French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet during his two-day visit to India recently.

Longuet announced that soon the armies of both countries would undertake a joint exercise, namely Exercise Shakti, which would be similar to the bilateral Garuda Exercise between the two air forces and Varuna Exercise between the two navies.

The French Minister’s visit came within a month of India shortlisting Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon for the medium multi-role combat aircraft programme of the Indian Air Force.

India expressed its concern over the sale of France’s military hardware to Pakistan in the name of fighting terror. Longuet said that his country has sought clarifications from Islamabad. He said that France fully supports India’s bid for a permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council.