India, France discuss intelligence sharing and capacity building in space
New Delhi, Sep 28
India and France discussed defence cooperation, intelligence sharing, training, and capacity building in space as Air Marshal Tejinder Singh met with Lieutenant General Dominique Tardiff, Vice Chief of the French Air and Space Force.
"Air Marshal Tejinder Singh CISC interacted with Lt Gen Dominique Tardiff, Vice Chief of the French Air and Space Force. Discussions focused on defence cooperation, intelligence sharing, training and capacity building in space, and expanding defence industrial collaboration," Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff stated on X.
Earlier, Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh met his French counterpart, Philippe Baptiste, and said that cooperation in the space sector between India and France has entered a new phase, with a focus on human spaceflight, start-ups, and a new space ecosystem.
India-France space cooperation has evolved from the early sounding rocket experiments of the 1960s into a broad and expanding partnership encompassing joint satellite missions, launch vehicle technologies, human spaceflight and emerging space applications, the minister said.
Singh met the high-level French delegation and said that the relationship now offers scope to build a larger ecosystem linking governments, research institutions, industry and start‑ups.
The meeting covered the Space Summit, India-France Year of Innovation 2026 and priorities in scientific and technological cooperation, including Space, CEFIPRA and Blue Economy, an official statement said.
Singh referred to Megha-Tropiques and SARAL, jointly built by ISRO and CNES, as well as cooperation in launch vehicle engine development, as milestones of enduring bilateral partnership.
The third joint satellite, TRISHNA, will soon be developed, the minister said, and appreciated CNES support to India's Gaganyaan programme, including supply of consumables and training of flight surgeons.
Indian and French teams have also begun discussions on microgravity research and parabolic flights related to human spaceflight.
The minister said the ongoing transformation of India's space sector has created new possibilities for the two countries to expand cooperation beyond government institutions and established agencies.
— IANS
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