Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Likely To Visit Dassault Plant In France hindustantimes.com

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will hold the first defence minister level dialogue with her French counterpart Florence Parly today and is expected to visit Dassault’s Rafale fighter jet manufacturing facility outside Paris on Friday during her three-day visit to France. She may also meet President Emmanuel Macron, although there is no confirmation on this.

Government officials familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity that Sitharaman’s visit to the Rafale facility comes from her desire to have a firsthand experience of its flying capabilities and to discuss with the plane’s maker Dassault Aviation, the delivery status of the 36 fighters ordered in fly away condition by India from France in a government to government deal. The first fighter is expected to land in India in September 2019.