PM Modi, Hollande inaugurate interim secretariat of International Solar Alliance

 The Indian deal is a major boost for Dassault, which a year ago secured orders for 24 Rafales each from Egypt and Qatar.

Bidding a warn farewell to Hollande, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “India’s friendship with France is special”.

France and India have signed an intergovernmental agreement for the purchase of Rafale combat aircraft manufactured by France’s Dassault Aviation. “We have made a decision to strengthen our cooperation against terror”, Hollande said referring to the massive terrorist attack on Paris in November. The French president also indicated that an agreement for France’s Areva to build six nuclear reactors in India should be hastened and concluded within a year. The effort is now to bring down the price to less than Euros 8 billion (Rs59,000 crore).

“France and India are both aware of the threats against peace, including terrorism because both our countries have been targeted over the past few months”.

A parade in New Delhi on Tuesday was watched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief guest French President Francois Hollande, whose invitation to the event equals the highest honor India can confer upon a foreign dignitary. “We owe it to, including Modi for what was achieved at the climate conference”, Holland said and described his visit as “outstanding and exceptional”.

Both India and France have been the target of recent attacks, with India fending off an attack on an India Air Force base at the beginning of the year. Terming the signing of IGA as a decisive step, Hollande sounded optimistic for the financial issues to be sorted out soon.

The two leaders also expressed satisfaction on the progress of a number of initiatives undertaken by Indian and French institutes to promote and preserve cultural heritage and enhance cultural cooperation between the two countries.

Hollande has said he is “optimistic” that an inter-governmental accord that would pave the way for a final contract would be agreed on Monday, but also warned that pinning down the fine details of such a deal “obviously takes time”.

The leaders of India and France were looking to shore up a troubled multi-billion dollar fighter jet deal and make a new push on solar energy as they gathered in New Delhi for talks Monday. France will never forget Indian support.

Apart from the MoU on the Rafale jets, the two countries have signed 13 agreements after the talks today, including deals on railway engines, space technology, smart cities and solar and nuclear energy.