Signature of a Memorendum of Understanding between France and India on civilian aeronautics

From October 7 to 10, 2024, the French aerospace industry association, GIFAS, is leading a large delegation of companies to India. The French delegation is made of over 100 high-level representatives from 60 companies including prime contractors, equipment manufacturers, MSMEs and start-ups, covering the entire spectrum of the French aerospace industry, civil, defence and space.

This mission will provide a unique opportunity for French and Indian companies to better understand their mutual expectations and lead to even more partnerships between companies which are committed to accompany the growth of the aerospace industry.

India already hosts over 60 GIFAS member companies, including more than 30 industrial sites. This presence testifies of the dynamic cooperation between our two nations and the will of French companies to contribute to the success of the ‘Make in India’ program. Training, innovation and decarbonization are among the topics of excellence of this cooperation.

Aero Excellence™ is a universal standard for operational excellence designed for suppliers of the aerospace, space and defence industries, which currently face a significant increase in production demand. Its purpose: to accelerate industrial maturity. Launched at the end of January 2024, it involves more than 60 companies in over 80 facilities across regional France. The Aero Excellence™ programme aims to enhance supply chain resilience and industrial competitiveness.

Open to all industry stakeholders, Aero Excellence™ is part of an innovative and global approach towards continuous improvement of industrial performance. Presented by the French aerospace industry association (GIFAS) at the 2023 Paris Air Show, and operational in France since 29 January 2024, the programme was expanded to three European federations last July.

This is the first time a common standard is put into place in a specific industry in France. GIFAS spent two years designing and developing the programme. They relied on SPACE Aero, an association that provides supply chain support and which runs Aero Excellence™, on prominent OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and on certain “pilot” suppliers. “The standard is a robust solution to address the need to strengthen the French supply chain, declared Frédéric Parisot, GIFAS CEO. Participating in the programme gives businesses a competitive edge for future markets.”

Read the full press release

🚀 [India - France] GIFAS received a delegation from the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry on Tuesday 2 November in Paris.

(Saint-Cloud, France, 3 December 2021) – In the presence of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and Sheikh Mohammed ben Zayed Al Nahyane, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Vice-Commander of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, signed a historical contract with Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani, CEO of Tawazun Economic Council, in charge of security and defense acquisitions, for the acquisition of 80 Rafale F4 for the United Arab Emirates Air Force & Air Defence (UAE AF & AD).