Event report
Indo-French Defence and Aerospace Seminar 6th Edition
The 6th edition of the Indo-French Defence and Aerospace Seminar, successfully organized by IFCCI on Friday, October 27, 2023, at Novotel Bengaluru.
The 6th edition of the Indo-French Defence and Aerospace Seminar, successfully organized by the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI), took place on Friday, October 27, 2023, at Novotel Bengaluru. The event served as a significant platform bringing together over 100 CXOs from the Indo-French Defence and Aerospace industries, government authorities and key decision makers from the Indo-French business community. There were distinguished experts and thought leaders who shared their insights, discussed challenges, and explored opportunities within the sectors.
This seminar by IFCCI was conducted in partnership with GIFAS, SIDM and Business France as Institutional Partners and Mazars India as the Knowledge Partner.
Below is a summary of the key highlights from the event.
The event commenced with the welcome remarks presented by Mr. Yohann Samuel, Regional Director (South) at IFCCI, succeeded by a video message to the audience by Mr. Cedric POST, Deputy Director for European, International and Commercial Affairs at GIFAS, France. Thereafter, the keynote speech was delivered by Major General Anil Khosla (Retd.), Former Military Secretary to the President of India focusing on Indo-French D&A relations, his many connections with France and the strong potential of future Indo-French business collaborations.
A short presentation on the activities of Business France in the D&A space was conducted by Mr. Marc Vial-Montpellier, Head of Industry & Tech Department, Director of Bangalore and Chennai offices, Business France India – Bangalore.
Post the inaugural session, the knowledge sharing discussions commenced with the following Panels and respective speakers:
Panel 1: Make In India - Challenges and Opportunities
The first panel discussion, moderated by Mr. Alex T Koshy, Director India Entry, M&A at SAS Partners, delved into the challenges and opportunities associated with the 'Make In India' initiative. The esteemed panellists included:
- Mr. Ashish Saraf, CEO & Country Head, Thales India
- Mr. Jetendra Gavankar, CEO, Safran India
- Mr. Ludovic Dumont, General Delegate, MBDA
- Mr. Suresh Baroth, Senior Vice President, Tata Advanced Systems Limited
- Dr. Naresh Palta, Senior Advisor (Aerospace & Aviation), Maini Group
Panel 2: The Future of Aviation and Scope of Sustainability
The second panel, moderated by Ms. Sarah Rufus, Partner at AZB & Partners, explored the future of aviation and sustainability prospects. The panel featured insights from:
- Mr. Alexandre Correia, Director – Aeroline, Sopra Steria
- Mr. Hemanth DP, CEO, Asia Pacific Flight Training Academy
Fireside Chat: Indo-French Collaborations in Emerging Technologies in the D&A Industries
The fireside chat provided a platform for in-depth discussions on Indo-French Collaborations and Emerging Technologies in the Defence and Aerospace sector. The engaging conversation featured:
- Mr. Siddharth Balachandran, Head – Innovation Centre, Airbus India & South Asia
- Ms. Aruna Schwarz, CEO, Stelae Technologies
The fireside chat was skilfully moderated by Mr. Prasar Sharma, Lead – Emerging Tech Practice, Mazars India.
The event concluded with Closing Remarks delivered by Mr. Priyank Prakash, Senior Manager - Events & Membership (KA, TS & AP Regions).
The seminar served as a platform for robust discussions, knowledge sharing, and networking, fostering stronger ties between the Indo-French Defence and Aerospace industries. IFCCI expresses sincere appreciation to all attendees and speakers and looks forward to continued collaboration, innovation, and growth in the future.
For more information and updates, please visit the official IFCCI website and social media channels.
This post-event report is prepared by IFCCI to provide an overview of the 6th Indo-French Defence and Aerospace Seminar held on October 27, 2023, at Novotel Bengaluru.
