Ajit Doval, Emmanuel Macron discuss peace moves, even as Israel begins invasion of Lebanon

NSA discusses deals for Rafale-M fighters, Scorpene submarine; sources say France has agreed to cut purchase costs; French President appreciates PM Modi’s peace initiatives

France appreciates Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “initiatives” to advance peace, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday (October 1, 2024), while meeting National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who was in Paris for the India-France Strategic Dialogue.

Mr. Doval also discussed India’s plans to procure French planes and submarines for the navy, In talks with his counterpart, the French President’s Diplomatic Advisor Emmanuel Bonne, as well as French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu, even as sources confirmed that France had agreed to a “significant reduction” in the cost of buying 26 Rafale-M fighters.

Peace initiatives

“[Mr. Doval] reiterated the commitment to implement the Horizon 2047,” the Indian Embassy in France said in a post, adding that President Macron had “stressed the value of India and France’s efforts to advance peace and address global challenges; appreciated PM Modi’s initiatives”. While the reference to the peace initiatives is mainly in relation to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and New Delhi’s efforts to mediate between Kyiv and Moscow, the NSA’s visit came even as Israel announced its ground invasion of Lebanon. In the past few days, Mr. Macron has spoken to U.S. President Joseph Biden, asking him to put pressure on Israel to stop its advances into Lebanon.

“We wait for all the partners to be very vocal and committed with us in order to send this clear message: Israel cannot invade Lebanon today. War is not possible in Lebanon today; it would be a huge mistake, a huge risk of escalation,” he said in an interview. Significantly, hours before the Israeli Defence Force’s ground invasion of Lebanon began, Prime Minister Modi had also spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, telling him that it was “crucial to prevent regional escalation”.

Rafale jets to cost less

The Embassy said that Mr. Doval’s dialogue with Mr. Lecornu was aimed at “deepening bilateral defence cooperation and advancing space collaboration, while also sharing insights on the evolving international geopolitical landscape”. In a post, Mr. Lecornu added that the Rafale Marine, Scorpene submarines, and space cooperation were specifically discussed.

According to officials, the cost negotiations for 26 Rafale-M fighter jets for the Indian Navy’s aircraft carriers have now moved forward. with manufacturer Dassault Aviation having submitted a revised bid, with a “significant reduction” in cost. It has also agreed to the integration of indigenous weapons on the jets, a defence official said. Some deviations from the original letter of request have already been approved by the Defence Acquisition Council, the official added.

Published - October 01, 2024 10:14 pm IST