Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne left for a four-day visit to France this week.
The mid-life upgrade of IAF’s 51 Mirage-2000 fighters is also currently underway with the help of French companies in a project that will eventually cost over $3 billion. India is also in final negotiations to seal its largest-ever defence project, the almost $20 billion MMRCA project to acquire 126 Rafale fighters.
ACM Browne will hold talks with Jean-Yves Le Drian, the new French defence minister, Admiral EdouardGuillaud, French chief of defence staff, Ingenieur General de l’Armement Laurent Collet-Billon, director-general of the French Defence Technology and Procurement Agency and General Jean-Paul Palomeros, chief of staff of the French Air Force.
What this means
The visit is significant as it is the first high level official visit from India to France after the new government of François Hollande, has taken office in Paris.
