Armenia has recently set the stage for India’s Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) to gain traction in the international market, and France is poised to be the next potential customer. The French Army is preparing for a comprehensive evaluation of the Pinaka system, following a demonstration of its capabilities presented to France’s Army Staff Chief in February of the previous year. According to reports from The Hindu, Brigadier General Stephane Richou, who oversees international affairs for the French Army, confirmed that a specialized mission is scheduled to visit India in the upcoming weeks to assess both the launcher and its ammunition.
During his recent visit to India for the 20th Army staff talks, Brigadier General Richou extended an invitation to Indian Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi, encouraging him to visit France next year. He underscored the vast potential for collaboration between the two nations, stating, “We have a lot of avenues of cooperation. Open the eyes and the arms… and we can cooperate as strong as the cooperation that exists between Air Force and Navy.”
In light of its strategic modernization needs, France has decided to retire the M270 Lance-Roquettes Unitaire (LRU) rocket systems currently in use. The French Army maintains 13 upgraded M270 systems, but notably, six of these have been allocated to support Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict.
With a growing interest in India’s defense exports, the US, France, and Armenia are emerging as leading customers. Armenia was the first country to procure the domestically developed Pinaka system, paving the way for interest from various other nations. Presently, the Indian Army operates four regiments of the Pinaka, with an additional six on order. The Mk1 version of this rocket launcher has a range of 38 kilometers and can utilize several types of ammunition, with ongoing efforts aimed at further extending this range.
Plans for guided, extended-range Pinaka rockets are nearing completion, with future projections targeting ranges exceeding 75 kilometers, and aspirations to ultimately extend operational capabilities to 120 kilometers and potentially 300 kilometers.
While the partnership between ground forces has often been overshadowed by more visible collaborations in air and naval domains, Brigadier General Richou emphasized that the focus remains on building robust partnerships, highlighting the potential for deeper engagement between the ground forces of both nations.
