French Contingent Arriving On Feb 14

The French Air Force and foreign office will be in India for one week starting February 14, along with the biggest defence contingent to ever come to India _ an aerobatics team, called the Patrouille de France. The Patrouille performed yesterday for a select audience of the Indian Air Force.

The Indo-French Initiative Forum will hold a two-day session ending February 15. On February 16 and 17 the India International Centre will host a high-level, closed-door seminar on Strategies to Create a Multipolar World. And the week will be capped by French foreign minister, Hubert Vederine's visit to New Delhi.

 

None of the events is without political significance. France is looking to wider and deeper defence cooperation with India, particularly to sell the Indian Air Force, the Alpha Jet Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT). By happy coincidence, the Patrouille de France is performing all its aerobatics on the Alpha Jet.

The Indian Air Force says it has nothing to do with the event or its timing _ the rivals of the Alpha Jet, the Hawk, flown by the British aerobatic pilots, the Red Arrows, put up a similar air show (using the Hawk, obviously), in New Delhi last year. Both the Alpha Jet and Hawk used are trainer aircrafts.

The French are lobbying hard to find buyers for their aircraft _ their order books are blank, they have been so for the last 10 years.

The German Air Force which used the Alpha Jet has discontinued it. If India buys the aircraft, France will have the chance of reviving its production facility as India will require above 60 aircraft.