Le Monde | | By
A strong diplomatic landing gently. No sooner had he set foot, Sunday, Jan. 24, on the tarmac of the military airport Chandigarh (Punjab State), where he was greeted by traditional dancers and giants on stilts, Francois Hollande has made watch extreme caution on what constitutes the essential challenge of his state visit to India: the contract for the sale of 36 Rafale fighters. A contract announced by the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, during his visit to Paris in April 2015, but which, since then, the subject of long and complex negotiations.
While celles- These “progressing” , said the head of state. But “The idea is to have an intergovernmental agreement between the two countries, so that the companies can then go through the process. So here we will take another step in the direction that goes, we all hope, acquisition by India of 36 Rafale aircraft, because India needs it and because France has . demonstrate that they were the best planes in the world “
Francois Hollande said that this political agreement depended on the conclusion of the sale itself: ” The actual contract -even can only come after the intergovernmental agreement. “
Read also: The challenges of the visit to India of Francois Hollande
The final price or level of equipment still under discussion
The French delegation hopes to conclude Monday, January 25, in New Delhi, this political agreement. “I am optimistic. If we set out again here without it even retard “ the process, the president added later in the Forum CEO margin, a meeting between French business leaders and India.
For it is from there that opens “a merchant Rafale negotiation” , ironically a member of the delegation. Among the sticking points include, among others, the final price or the level of equipment and sophistication hunters.
India hopes that the latter is of the highest level, in a context where the Indian Air Force lobbied the government to renew its aging squad at least. As for the actual financial trading, it has just been opened.
“This is a political agreement opens the possibility of concluding trade negotiations. In India, the state is very present. If there was no agreement among governments, there would be no agreement between industries “, said the Finance Minister Michel Sapin, accompanying the Head of State with Laurent Fabius, Ségolène Royal and Fleur Pellerin.
A major player in the negotiation and large VRP of the French arms industry, the defense minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, who is already visited India several times, of course, is the trip, the president himself who asked to remain until the end of the trip on Tuesday, when he had planned to leave early.
M . Hollande is counting on Mr Le Drian to advance in the meanders of a political, military and bureaucratic system where there is, according to a French official on site, “the rubber stamp of dictatorship” .
Read also: Francois Hollande in India to try to confirm the sale of Rafale
A state apparatus “cloisonne”
A senior defense official summary: “With the Indians, negotiations are still extremely complex. The state apparatus is quite fragmented. When you have an agreement for a branch of government, that does not mean that you have the agreement of all the branches. The process is extremely complex and slow. There is no anomaly, but we are faced with a government that consults minister after minister and each réinstruit administration while at the base. “
Hence the conclusion: ” The visit is part thriller. We will know that on-site concrete, exactly what will be signed and in what stage of negotiation of the contract it is “ says this source that ” the Prime Minister Modi is the ultimate decision maker “.
In this “deal” resides most of the “strategic partnership” as touted by Paris. “We are concerned by regional crises and also by terrorism. Our two countries have been hit. We will further intensify our discussions together, participate in a cooperation between the services, act to strengthen our military equipment “ said Mr. Holland.
The president is the guest of the great military parade on the Avenue Raj Path, Tuesday in New Delhi, where parade for the first time foreign military, the 35 th Infantry Regiment, who just participated in joint maneuvers counter Terrorism in Rajasthan, with the Indian Army.
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