Hollande improves the climate but Rafale deal fails to take off

“We are very happy that we have formed an agreement for purchase of 36 Rafale aircrafts with France”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

One of the most sought Memorandum of Understanding was signed between India and France on purchase of 36 Rafale aircrafts. A senior French Embassy official, requesting not to be named said, “There are five ministers as part of the delegation – Defence, Culture, Finance and Public Accounts, Energy and Foreign Affairs”.

President Francois Hollande vowed not to let threats deter France from its fight against terrorism on Monday, the second day of an official visit to India, focused on security and trade. The two heads of state also released an inter-governmental joint statement. Earlier Modi and Hollande had “restricted talks” for about an hour. The invitation for Hollande to be chief guest at India’s Republic Day military parade on Tuesday had raised expectations the multi-billion dollar agreement for the Rafale jets would finally be sealed. Calling France a special friend, Modi said at a joint press conference with Hollande, “Eighteen years ago, France was the first country we signed a strategic partnership with”. Hollande landed in Chandigarh on Sunday to commence his three-day visit to India.

On 15 August 1947 Our Country India Got Freedom from the British Empire and then after the 2 years 11 months 18 days later our Constitution Was Released on 26 Jan 1950.

Modi said that while the headquarters of the ISA is in India, it will be an independent global institution.

The Paris attacks bore similarities to a 2008 attack on Mumbai, where terrorists struck multiple locations, including a five-star hotel, killing 166 people.

METRO MOMENT Modi and Hollande travelled from Delhi to Gurgaon in a Metro for the inauguration of the interim secretariat of the International Solar Alliance.

 India had originally sought to purchase 126 Rafales, France’s most advanced warplane, but negotiations collapsed a year ago. “I count all French companies in India to act as ambassador for our country and invite their counterparts to discover in France what they are missing”, Sapin stressed. Citing the recent terror strikes around the world the two leaders appealed the world community to work coherently to rout those enemies of the humanity.

A slew of deals promoting cooperation between the two sides across sectors have been inked during the visit so far.