Catherine Vautrin

French Minister of the Armed Forces - Managing operational details of France's defensive deployment

For six days, the United States and Israel have been bombing Iran under operations codenamed Epic Fury and Roaring Lion. Iran has struck back not just at Israel but at American bases scattered across the Persian Gulf — and in doing so, put French troops, British runways, and Turkish airspace in the crossfire. Now France has become the first major NATO ally to open its own military infrastructure to the American war effort, authorizing United States support aircraft to use the Istres air base in southern France, with the explicit condition that these planes stay out of offensive strikes on Iran.

Updated Yesterday

Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs, France - Making first India visit as Defense Minister

India has depended on Russia for weapons since the Cold War. That dependence peaked at 76% of arms imports in 2009-2013 but has now fallen to 36%—while France has surged to become India's second-largest supplier, accounting for 33% of defense purchases. On February 17, 2026, the two countries signed an agreement to manufacture HAMMER precision-guided missiles in India, marking a shift from France selling finished weapons to both nations building them together.

Updated Feb 17