Following the terror attacks in Pathankot this year and in Paris last year, terrorism will figure high during French President Francois Hollande’s visit to India from January 24 to 26, a senior official said on Thursday.
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Since they came into force, authorities have carried out thousands of searches but “only a few of them have led to procedures linked to terrorist acts”, Council of Europe human rights commissioner Nils Muiznieks said earlier this month. “That is probably the reason why it is leaked”, he said.
In an unusual move, this year even French troops will be marching along side Indian troops during the Republic Day parade. France is also the first country with which India entered into a civil nuclear energy cooperation in 2008 after obtaining the NSG waiver. There will be a new project of space programme in relation to observation and prevention of climate change. “The return of Iran on the global scene is possible (after the nuclear accord)”, Hollande said.
In an interview with the BBC, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said the state of emergency should be maintained “the time necessary… till we can get rid of Daesh (Islamic State)”. During his visit to France last April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that India would buy 36 Rafale jets from that country, which was followed by the formation of committees on the two sides that deliberated on various aspects such as offsets, costs, serviceability.
In recent years, heritage furniture designed by French architect Corbusier and his team, which has stolen from various locations, has made its way to worldwide auction houses in the US, Britain, France and other European countries.
Although no official confirmation has been received, President Hollande is likely to visit the Capitol Complex, Rock Garden and the Sector-10 museum. 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. Post that both leaders will be travelling to Gwal Pahari, Gurgaon to lay the foundation stone of the Interim Secretariat of International Solar Alliance.
On January 25, the French President’s engagements will begin with a meeting of business leaders and CEOs.
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So far, the Indo-French business relationship remains overwhelmingly dominated by the behemoths, with very little engagement of the smaller companies, which ironically make up the bulk of both Indian and French economies. He will be leaving for Paris in the evening.
