France's top General Fabien Mandon visits India to deepen strategic partnership
French Chief of Defence Staff General Fabien Mandon is visiting India to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two nations. The visit highlights ongoing cooperation in defense, space, and technology, building on a long-standing bilateral relationship.
Why it matters
This visit underscores the deepening military and strategic alliance between India and France, which is a key pillar of India's defense modernization and geopolitical strategy.
France's chief of defence staff (CDS) General Fabien Mandon is in India to further strengthen the already strong strategic relationship between the two countries. During his visit to New Delhi, the French CDS met his Indian counterpart General Raja Subramani and defence secretary RK Singh. The top French general's visit comes a month after PM Modi's visit to the western European nation. Before this visit, French defence minister Catherine Vautrin had visited India in February to attend the the sixth annual defence dialogue, which was co-chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh. Both India and France put a premium on self‑reliance and strategic autonomy.Top military leaders of both nations have exchanged several high‑level visits in the recent past. French chief of staff General Pierre Schill visited India twice in February 2024 and October 2025, while India’s chief of defence staff general Anil Chauhan travelled to France in April 2024.
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