India tightens security for French president’s visit
Thomson ReutersFile photo of a Dassault Rafale fighter participating in a flying display during the 51st Paris Air ShowOn January 2nd, members of a Pakistani terrorist group believed to have ties to military and intelligence officials in Pakistna’s “deep state” attacked an air base in Pathankot, in western India, killing seven people.
During the course of the French leader’s visit, the foundation stone of the interim secretariat of the International Solar Alliance will also be laid in Gurgaon. The letter was sent from Chennai but the police couldn’t trace the sender.
Mr Hollande will be chief guest at the Republic Day parade in Delhi on January 26.
This year, French President Fracois Hollande is the chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations.
The French Consulate in Bengaluru received a threat letter ahead of French President Francois Hollande’s visit to India.
The UN said the lack of clear limitations were most problematic and urged France to adopt judicial controls over anti-terrorism and surveillance measures.
Asked if there will be any development on civil nuclear cooperation, the French ambassador said Areva was being taken over by EDF, which operates 60 nuclear reactors in France.
Hollande will be second foreign dignitary on a state visit to land in the city, designed by famous French architect Le Corbusier, after then Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani came here straight from Lahore to watch the Cricket World Cup semifinal match between India and Pakistan at Mohali in 2011.
“Both France and India are victims of terrorism and we can expect a lot of discussions on this particular issue”, he said. We will have also an announcement in the field of space. “So, EDF will now be in the lead for this kind of operation”. Significantly, France was the first country with which India established a Strategic Partnership in 1998 after New Delhi conducted nuclear tests. “We’ll also have investments in the wind energy”.
One of the few planned cities in India, Chandigarh is being decked up for the French President’s visit. Both countries have vital interests in the Indian Ocean and prospects for further maritime cooperation will be also discussed between the two countries, he said.
Arab and Kurdish forces will be given additional support to help retake Islamic State’s bastions in Syria and Iraq, French President Francois Hollande said on Thursday, adding that 2016 had to be the year of transition in Syria.
At a DAC meeting headed by defence minister Manohar Parrikar held on January 11, progress on the negotiations for a final government-to-government agreement for Dassault Aviation’s Rafale jets were reviewed, but nothing was cleared.