The traditional bonhomie between the two countries was on display when India invited French President Nicolas Sarkozy to be Chief Guest at the Republic Day Parade on January 26. The visiting President, in turn, reasserted the strong presence of French products in Indian arms purchases.

Political ties between France and India generally swing between tepid and warm, but between the two air forces it has always been unwaveringly convivial. Whenever India wanted to diversify sourcing high-end equipment, the French have been the favourites. After the Vampire jets in the Indian Air Force (IAF), the next fighter jets to be inducted in the early 1950s were Ouragans (Toofani) and Mysteres from Dassault France. Although the Mystere fighter aircraft did not have a two-seat version, six pilots and a hand full of technicians mastered the aircraft in a remarkably short span of time. The Mystere proved its mettle in both the 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan wars and IAF old timers extol this machine that carried a very impressive weapon load in that era.

In the early 1980s, when the IAF again embarked on diversifying purchases, particularly to counter the F-16s of the country’s north-western neighbour, it turned to the French. Induction of Mirage 2000 and adoption of the French philosophy of maintenance has set certain benchmarks in the IAF. This first fly-by-wire high technology aircraft with true multi-role capability set the standards for future purchases of highly potent systems by comparing the serviceability, availability, efficiency in operations, and effectiveness vis-à-vis the cost of ownership. India’s aviation industry also benefitted from the superior concepts in Mirage 2000 and in initial conceptualisation of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).