France's President Francois Hollande, his partner Valerie Trierweiler, India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pose during Hollande's ceremonial reception at the forecourt of India's presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi February 14, 2013. PHOTO: REUTERS
French President Francois Hollande embarked on a fresh push Thursday to clinch a $12-billion sale of Rafale fighter jets as he held talks in India on his first visit to Asia since taking office.
The Socialist president was accompanied by a high-powered delegation of five ministers including Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and the chiefs of more than 60 top French companies.
The trip is aimed at building on the "strategic Indo-French partnership launched 15 years ago", a French official said.
It marks Hollande's first visit to Asia since taking office in May and both Indian and French officials say the mission underscores the importance France attaches to ties with the world's second-fastest growing major economy.
"Our relations are growing fast in all sectors... in economic, industrial and commercial spheres," an Indian foreign ministry official said, while cautioning against expecting any big-bang announcements from Hollande's visit.
Hollande is being given a red-carpet welcome and will hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other ministers before travelling to financial hub Mumbai where he will meet some of the country's biggest business leaders.
The corporate bosses reflect the wide gamut of French firms interested in export opportunities in India's vast market -- from luxury goods maker LVMH to aerospace giant EADS, which owns plane manufacturer Airbus.
The president, who just two weeks ago was basking in a hero's welcome in Mali, arrives in New Delhi as the French-led military campaign to drive out fighters from the African nation's northern territory is in its second month - a subject expected to surface at the talks.
Hollande will be lobbying hard for the $12-billion deal France's Dassault Aviation hopes to clinch to sell 126 Rafale warplanes.
Dassault chief executive Eric Trappier is also part of Hollande's delegation.
In a welcome showcase for Dassault, the jets have been deployed during France's lightning offensive in Mali.
India last year chose the French firm for exclusive negotiations to equip its air force with new fighters and while New Delhi says the discussions are "proceeding smoothly" it has already said the contract will not be signed during Hollande's visit as it is being fine-tuned.
Paris will have to "wait a little" to pop the bubbly, Indian foreign minister Salman Khurshid advised last week.
Another major project for discussion is a contract for Areva to build a 9,900-megawatt nuclear power plant in the western coastal state of Maharashtra.
The $9.3-billion framework agreement was signed during a visit to India in 2010 by Hollande's predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy.
But the project has run into stiff opposition from environmentalists concerned about seismic activity in the area and fears about the safety of nuclear power following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.
India said this week it is "fully committed" to the French-assisted Jaitapur nuclear plant but conceded there are "issues pertaining to cost".
In an editorial on Thursday, The Times of India said that France "is arguably India's longest standing all-weather friend, save Russia" but said it was too rooted in trade rather than a partnership of equals.
"This is indeed a good time to move the engagement from one that is still tactical and transactional to one that is more strategic and sustainable," said the paper.
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According to Ernst and Young, 600 Million Indians would be Middle Class by 2025. I am happy to move in the right direction. Weapons are also important for every country ,be it India or Pakistan.
@Ali Tanoli: Oh please, keep your Jinnah to yourself, Gandhi is respected worldwide and is the reason why there is still some sanity left in the subcontinent! It is the Jinnah's of the world who always prefer to devide and rule for personal gains.
@Rohan: Actually its 99%, happy?!! Phony name, eh?!!
When in 1965, laying claim to half the Kutch peninsula, the Pakistani army skirmished with Indian forces following report to the Lok Sabha on the confrontation in Kutch by then prime minister Mr. Lal Bahadur Shastri is still relevant.
"In the utilization of our limited resources, we have always given primacy to plans and projects for economic development. It would, therefore, be obvious for anyone who is prepared to look at things objectively that India can have no possible interest in provoking border incidents or in building up an atmosphere of strife... In these circumstances, the duty of Government is quite clear and this duty will be discharged fully and effectively... We would prefer to live in poverty for as long as necessary but we shall not allow our freedom to be subverted."
@Bruiteforce Begging and taking food out of allready poorest of poors who dont even have walls around there homes if they got one and same goes to pakistan i guess jinnah and gandhi commited a big sin when they did not agreed on one unite.
@Rohan: What has India's poverty got to do with its defense preparedness?!!! It is the responsibility of the State to provide national security. Feeding people is not the job of the state. It is the individual responsibility of every citizen to provide for his own subsistence. It is leftist and lazy people like you who diminish the personal responsibility of individuals and make them parasites of the state.
@Ali Tanoli: India's defense preparedness has nothing to do with South Asia. India does not need any "preparedness" to deal with any or all of south Asian countries.
these MF dont wnt peace in south asia .....
@Rohan:
Every home needs a fence, a wall, door, protection. No home cannot survive without these.
Stop this Leftist crap and spelling doom all the time. 12 Billion is not even 10% of 200 Billion we have in our Forex. A price worth paying if we are to grow and establish ourselves.
If you still believe in your high preachings, why don't you get rid of doors, unbolt your windows, get rid of the gate and then see how long your home will survive.
Until that happens, keep quiet and stop being a hypocrite.
While our 68.7% live on less than US$ 2 per day and the Global Hunger Index (GHI) report places India amongst the three countries where the GHI between 1996 and 2011 went up from 22.9 to 23.7, we are giving money to Europeans instead of spending on sanitation, aids, hunger and health.
Shame on US.
India and France also conclude $6 bn deal on Surface to Air Missile. While difference between France and other countries is that they transfer the technology to India and make some production in India too.
I can smell something burning.
France will be building largest civil nuclear plant in the world in India for energy hungry India
Pakistani president goes to UK and asks them to sell their weapons to Pakistan, while french president comes to India in hope of selling more weapons.