Francois Hollande Sunday begins a state visit of three days in India , in sight with the sale of 36 French Rafale combat aircraft as well as the signing of contracts economic and trade with this emerging high-growth. “A visit like this may be the opportunity to reasonably move towards an agreement,” said a French diplomatic source about these 36 Rafale, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ordered during a meeting with Francois Hollande in Paris in April 2015.
Since then, negotiations are ongoing between French and Indian governments on the terms and conditions of the acquisition of these devices, flagship of the aerospace group French Dassault Aviation. The contract is valued at five billion euros. The negotiations are at “an advanced stage”, for his part, said the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India, Vikas Swarup. The CEO of Dassault Aviation, Eric Trappier, will be part of the delegation accompanying Hollande.
During this second visit to India , after that he was conducted in February 2013, French President will visit Chandigarh, capital of Punjab and Haryana, designed by French architect Le Corbusier after the Dance pendence and New Delhi where he will host the traditional military parade on January 26th celebrating the establishment of the Republic in 1950 in the former British colony.
Anti-terrorism
Politically, the fight against terrorism will, according to a French diplomat, “headlining” talks. In a tense regional context, the tone is mounted recently between New Delhi and Islamabad after the attack early January an Indian Pathankot air base near the Pakistani border, claimed by pro-Pakistani Islamist groups fighting coalition in Cashmere. Mr Modi had then urged his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, whose country is itself destabilized by a resurgence of Taliban attacks, to act in a “firm and immediate” against terrorism.
cooperation in the fight against terrorism will be “much discussion”, also said the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The India like France are “victims of terrorism,” said his spokesman citing “horrific attacks” on 13 November in Paris (130 dead). The French president, who will be accompanied by about fifty business leaders and five ministers, also reinforces the economic and trade exchanges that remain timid and unbalanced to the detriment of France, with the third Asian economy.
According to the IMF, India’s growth should reach 7.5% in 2015 and 2016, the country is poised to overtake China, where growth is slowing. France wants to advance his pawns particularly in the areas of urban infrastructure, sustainable development, energy and transport sectors doped India by major reforms launched by the government Modi.
“Smart cities”
In power since May 2014, it has notably set in motion the construction of hundreds of “smart cities” model cities the use of information technology and sustainable development. Paris has decided to invest in three of them – Chandigarh, Puducherry and Nagpur. – Leveraging an “extremely important potential” development for French entrepreneurs
The France also wants to strengthen its presence in renewable energy in the wake of the climate conference (COP21) held in December in Paris, where the India , 4th World energy consumer, has made commitments ” very important, “said the Elysee. Mr. Holland and Mr. Modi will inaugurate the headquarters of the International Solar Alliance based in Gurgaon, near New Delhi. This instance, launched at the initiative of the two leaders on the sidelines of the COP21, is designed to encourage investment in countries with strong sunlight.
In the field of civilian nuclear energy, the French group Areva is engaged since April 2015 in a project to build six EPR reactors at Jaitapur, south of Mumbai, whose implementation is still “under discussion”, said a source close to the case.
Culture Mr. Holland will also be the program, which will meet with Indian crews. Ariane Mnouchkine, founder of the Theater of the sun, whose “nomadic school” is currently India , will also be present.
(With AFP)
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