GIFAS launches mission to strengthen French-Indian Aerospace cooperation

New Delhi : GIFAS, the French Aerospace Industries Association, a driving force behind French-Indian cooperation, will head a major industrial mission to India from 16 to 19 April 2018, drawing on the very constructive and promising feedback resulting from French President Emmanuel Macron's official visit to India.

Eric Trappier, the Chairman of GIFAS and Chairman of CIDEF (Council of French Defence Industries), has enlisted 60 French aerospace industrial companies for this outward mission to further French-Indian cooperation efforts.

Cooperation in the areas of aeronautics and space that started in the Fifties is organised and well established. It has been strengthened by bilateral strategic partnerships that were brokered twenty years ago.

This GIFAS trade mission is an industrial demonstration of this long-standing strategic partnership across the civilian, defence and space sectors.

During their mission from 16 to 19 April 2018, the delegation will make stops in New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai and Hyderabad, where meetings are organised to bring together the sectors' companies from both countries.

The major aviation and space players representing both civilian and defence business interests will be present - Airbus, Ariane Group, Dassault Aviation, MBDA, Safran and Thales - not to mention 54 subcontractors, suppliers, SMEs and equipment manufacturers.

The Chairman of GIFAS, Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, supported by seven members of the GIFAS board, will lead this important mission to India.

The Chairman of GIFAS, Eric Trappier said, "France and GIFAS are proud to develop and strengthen our bonds with India through this mission, as our country and industries are clearly committed to encouraging the "Make in India" initiative. We are glad to contribute to buttressing the strategic partnership between France and India".