Indian defence companies have a very strong presence at this year’s Eurosatory defence trade show in France.

The online exhibitor list features over thirty Indian firms including Defence PSUs, including Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited, Aeron Systems Pvt Ltd, Ashoka Manufacturing Pvt Ltd, Bharat Electronics Ltd, Bit Mapper Integration Technologies, Brahmastra Defence Techno Products Limited, Chanakya Aerospace, Defence Research and Development Organisation, Entremonde Polycoaters Limited, Futura Automation Pvt Ltd, Gliders India Limited, Honeywell, Hyderabad Precision Mfg. Co. Pvt. Ltd., MKU, Kusumgar Corporates Private Limited, and Zen Technologies Limited.

These companies will join over 1,740 exhibitors from 96 countries at one of the largest defence trade shows in Europe, running from June 17-21. Eurosatory, a significant event in the defence sector, provides an essential platform for these Indian firms to showcase their advanced technologies and products.

In contrast to the robust Indian participation, the French government has decided to ban Israeli defence firms from the event. This decision is linked to France’s disapproval of Israeli actions in Gaza. According to reports in the public domain, the  French Ministry of Armed Forces announced, “At the request of the French authorities, Israeli companies will not be present at Eurosatory.” The ministry cited unsuitable “conditions” for welcoming Israeli companies while French President Emmanuel Macron called for an end to Israeli operations in Rafah.

Also Read

Macron has been increasingly critical of Israeli operations in Gaza. Earlier this week, he called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, and unrestricted access to humanitarian aid. He bluntly stated that the Rafah operation “must stop” and emphasized the lack of safe areas for Palestinian civilians in Rafah, urging full respect for international law. Macron reiterated these points on his social media platform, X.

The initial exhibitor list for Eurosatory included nearly 70 Israeli firms, such as Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Systems, who will now be absent due to the ban.

While Indian defence companies have a strong presence and are set to make a substantial impact at Eurosatory, Israeli firms face exclusion due to political tensions, reflecting the complex dynamics of international defence trade.