French Defence Major Safran Mulls Setting Up First Overseas Defence Electronics Facility In India

French aerospace and defence major Safran Group is reportedly considering setting up its first Defence Electronics unit outside France in India.

Safran plans to set up a defence electronics facility in India to manufacture sensors and vital electronics parts needed to support military platforms.

This comes as National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval was in France for two-day strategic dialogue with French President Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic advisor Emmanuel Bonne and his chief military advisor, Fabien Mandon.

During the meeting, France agreed to work with India on advanced materials and metallurgy, which are crucial for manufacturing critical parts of military and civilian engines.

In the course of the dialogue, Safran revealed its plans to set up a defence electronics facility in India to manufacture sensors and vital electronics parts needed to support military platforms, Hindustan Times reported citing people aware of the matter.

However, the company is yet to decide on the location of the facility.

Earlier in September, India and the United States agreed to set up a semiconductor plant in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh to make chips for military and national security applications.

This initiative, supported by the India Semiconductor Mission, marks the first-ever collaboration of its kind between the two nations in semiconductor technology, involving Bharat Semiconductors, 3rdiTech, and the US Space Force.

It is the first time the US military has agreed to share critical technologies with India, establishing a multi-material fabrication unit for national security applications.

The new facility, tentatively named "Shakti," will be strategically located near the upcoming Jewar Airport.

It is expected to produce chips for high-technology warfare platforms, including night vision devices, missile seekers, and military communications systems.

Currently, India’s semiconductor import bill for national security exceeds $1 billion annually, but this new venture could lead to significant import substitution, estimated at Rs 6,000 crores, the report cited earlier says.

The fabrication unit will feature a testing center, a center of excellence, a design center, and two fabrication units, supporting high-volume chip manufacturing.

Future plans may include exporting these chips to Quad nations and regions in the Asia Pacific and Africa.

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