Bangalore police beef up security as French Consulate receives threat letter

Hollande is scheduled to arrive Sunday for a three-day visit, including stops in the northern city of Chandigarh and New Delhi.

“I challenge what was said, particularly on ethnic profiling”, he said.

The confirmation came after French Prime Minister Manuel Valls told the BBC that France would “use all means” at its disposal to combat terrorism “until we can get rid of Daesh”, an acronym for Islamic State.

With two days left for President Francois Hollande to land in India, uncertainty looms large over the inking of the multi-million dollar fighter plane deal, with French Ambassador Francois Richier saying that “complex negotiation” was still going on.

“Highest possible security cover will be given in Delhi in the run up to the Republic Day and during the celebration where the French President will be the chief guest”, a Home Ministry official said. Hollande also said Paris was ready to train Libyan security forces to help them restore authority over the country, but only once the government was fully in place. Everything will be within this IGA and its annexure.

On Thursday, MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, “I would not like to comment specifically on the Rafale deal”.

Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria is heading the price negotiations from the Indian side. The two nations are now seeking simultaneous inking of the Inter-Government Agreement (IGA) and Commercial Contract during Hollande’s visit, now less than a week away.

Hollande said a “de-escalation” of tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia was necessary and France is willing to play a role in this, the AFP reported.

This week, police arrested four students in their early 20s who planned to attack a Hindu pilgrimage site and Delhi shopping malls that are frequented by foreigners and wealthy Indians, according to Mr Arvind Deep, a police official in the capital. “It may be just another excited sentiment”, Richier said. If you look at it with a bit of precision, you’ll discover it is not very expensive.

Some are even warning that with the downturn in China a global recession is now more likely than at any time since the 2008 financial crisis. “If we win, it is (given) that we are not expensive”.

Italy has additionally guaranteed assistance including a solar power coalition released last month throughout the worldwide climate discussions presented in London, for India is clear power mission. Hollande said those talks needed to ensure that there was clarity on who would govern Syria and that Assad could not be its future.