French Defence and Security industries will be well-represented at the 8th edition of DEFEXPO, the international Defence exhibition organised every two years in India since 1999. Twenty French companies are expected in New Delhi, under the French flag between the 6th and 9th of February 2014. 

India has always been an important military power, and today the country is taking the necessary steps to rise to the forefront, thanks to its dynamic policy for reinforcing and modernising its defence and security resources. This commitment currently makes India one of the – if not the – leading arms buyers.

On this market, where colossal sums of money are at stake, French businesses have all the capacities required to play leading roles in domains covering air, land and naval construction, equipment and services.

The force of French defence industries is their capacity to offer high-performance, high-technology products, and additionally ensure long-term accompaniement and support, making it possible to guarantee that materials remain operational and upgradeable for years to come.

From major contractors to small or medium size high-technology companies, at DEFEXPO, the ambassadors of French excellence will have the opportunity to present their technological solutions both to the Indian armed forces and the large number of buyers attending this highly strategic exhibition.

French participants at DEFEXPO: 20 companies
  • ASB AEROSPATIALE BATTERIES
  • BANC NATIONAL D’EPREUVE
  • CNIM
  • DCNS
  • ECA ROBOTICS
  • ELNO
  • EURENCO
  • EURONAVAL
  • COGES-EUROSATORY 2014
  • EXXELIA
  • GICAN
  • GICAT
  • HGH INFRARED SYSTEMS
  • IXBLUE
  • LACROIX TOUS ARTIFICES S.A
  • MBDA  outside the Pavilion
  • NEXTER SYSTEMS
  • ROXEL
  • SAGEM (SAFRAN GROUP)
  • SOFRADIR & ULIS (SOFRADIR GROUP)

Company profiles and products presented at DEFEXPO 2014 detailed in the press kit at: http://www.gican.asso.fr/node/2542

INDIA: business opportunities for French Defence industries

With 60 to 70% of its defence and security equipment being imported and an expenditure budget for these acquisitions of 11,6 billion  Euros for 213-2014*, India is currently one of the most attractive markets for the major exporting countries, including France, ranked 5th.
* Source: http://www.defencereviewasia.com/articles/216/Indian-Defence-Budget-2013-14

Since 1998 with the signature of a strategic partnership between France and India and confirmed by the 2006 bilateral agreement, defence and arms relations between the two countries have been extremely close. During the last decade, several French businesses have been awarded important contracts in India, including the modernisation of 51 units of the Mirage 2000, acquisition of 6 Scorpène submarines accompanied by the sale of 36 Exocet SM-39 anti-ship missiles for an announced amount of 2,4 billion Euros*. France looks forward to new developments in this privileged Franco-Indian relationship and hopes for intended and ongoing calls for tender for a supplementary set of high-sea submarines, projection and command ships, helicopters, artillery material as well as the 126 Rafales for which discussions are underway.

* Source : Gican/DEFEXPO 2014 file, p. 15 to18.