Paris backs Delhi call for UNSC seat

India and France signed 14 agreements and MoUs in areas as diverse as space, railway upgrade and science and technology on Monday , but could only partly conclude an inter-governmental agreement for acquisition of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft.

Differences over pricing meant the two countries could only sign an MoU after a meeting between PM Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande. On terror, both leaders called for the world to unite and seek action against outfits operating from Pakistan, including LeT and JeM. Though an agreement on the purchase of Ra fale aircraft could not be concluded on Monday , India hoped the remaining issues would be worked out soon.The Centre said the technical aspects had been sorted out and only the pricing had to be resolved. Foreign secretary S Jaishankar said the MoU signed on Monday reflected an “element of desire“ on part of both parties to conclude the deal soon and progress had been made in the negotiations.

“The two leaders welcomed the conclusion of the inter-governmental agreement on acquisition of 36 Rafale fighter aircraftin flyaway condition, except for some financial issues…which they agreed must be resolved as soon as possible,“ a statement issued after the meeting said. Unlike an inter-governmental agreement, the MoU doesn’t have much legal sanctity and, as sources said, the deal couldn’t be seen as done until the two countries agreed on the amount India needed to shell out.

Addressing the media, President Francois Hollande, PM Narendra Modi described France as one of India’s oldest and most reliable strategic partners. Later, they took the Metro to Gurgaon where they inaugurated the interim secretariat of the International Solar Alliance, which seeks to promote solar energy .

On nuclear energy , Modi and Hollande called for speeding up techno-commercial negotiations which have delayed implementation of the ci vil nuclear cooperation agreement between the two countries. According to the joint statement, the heads of states “encouraged“ their industrial companies to conclude techno-commercial negotiations by the end of 2016 for construction of six nuclear power reactor units at Jaitapur, with due consideration to cost viability of the project, economical financing from the French side, collaboration on transfer of technology and cost-effective localisation of manufacturing in India for large and critical components in accord with the government’s `Make in India’ initiative.

France acknowledged the need for India to have lifetime guarantee of fuel supply and renewed its commitment to reliable, uninterrupted and continued access to nuclear fuel throughout the entire lifetime of the plants.

France reaffirmed its support for India’s candidature for a permanent membership of the UN Security Council. It reaffirmed its “strong and longstanding support“ for India’s candidacy to international export control regimes and in particular to the Nuclear Suppliers Group.