India, France to enhance bilateral defense co-operation
Dated 4/9/2006
Printer Friendly
Subscribe
Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee is all set to meet French Defence Minister Michele Alliot Marie today to boost bilateral defence cooperation between the two countries.
The Indian delegation is expected to be briefed about operations being undertaken by French Defence Forces around the world. Mukherjee will also have an interactive round-table with CEOs of French defence-related industries.
The visit to France is significant in that New Delhi expects to enhance levels of defence cooperation with Paris.
During his three-day visit, Mukherjee will also visit the Centre for Planning and Operations Management (CPCO) and the Command of Air Defence and Air Operations (CDAOA) at Taverny.
CPCO is the Joint Staff Operations Centre of the French Defence Forces. It deals with international operations, plans and execution at Joint Staff level. enior officials of the Ministries of Defence and External Affairs, the Defence Research and Development Organisation and of the Armed Forces are accompanying the Defence Minister.
Defence relations between India and France have been fairly robust in the field of supply and production of defence related equipments. The India-France Defence MoU signed in 1982 and Indo-French High Committee set up in 1998 are the landmarks in India-France Defence Cooperation. Cooperation has also increased in the field of joint exercises, security dialogue and training.
Mukherjee will leave for Berlin on September 5 to enhance defence cooperation between the two countries.
The two countries are expected to sign a defence cooperation pact, approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security.
The bilateral defence agreement would lay the ground for a broad cooperation and interaction between the defence forces of both countries.
According to a Defence Ministry release, India is interested in enhancing defence cooperation with Germany in the field of defence technology and training. Both countries are also interested in undertaking joint naval exercises and having more interaction between the armed forces.
In Berlin, Mukherjee will hold talks with his German counterpart Franz Josef Jung and the German Minister for Economics and Technology Michael Gloss, besides meeting captains of German defence industries.
He is also scheduled to pay homage at the Zehrensdorf Indian Cemetery, which contains the graves of 206 Indian soldiers, who died as prisoners during the First World War in Halbmond and Windberg Prisoner of War camps near Zossen.
The cemetery has been rebuilt by the Common Wealth War Graves Commission.
The delegation includes S Banerjee, Director General Acquisition, Lt Gen H S Lidder, CISC, HQ IDS, Air Marshal F H Major, AOC-in-C, Eastern Command, Dr. Prahlada, CC R and D, DRDO, Sujata Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry External Affairs and Gautam Chatterjee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Defence.
