Article Posted on : - Oct 17, 2010

France is offering its Rafael fighters for India's big ticket MMRCA deal. A file photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): Ahead of French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit to India in December, France has made a pitch for the two nations to cooperate in operations where their armed forces are deployed, including in the anti-piracy efforts in Gulf of Aden.

French Defence Minister Herve Morin also wants to enhance consultations between the two counties on regional issues such as terrorism and situation in Afghanistan.

"As I had the opportunity to convey to Defence Minister A K Antony during my visit in December 2009, we can go even further in enhancing our consultations on the regional situation - I am specifically referring to Afghanistan, where France is engaged - but also on major international issues," he said.

"We could also intensify our cooperation at the theatres of operation where both our armed forces are deployed, piracy in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden being such a case."

"Lastly, we could develop more armament programmes that are efficient and adapted to the needs of both armed forces," Morin said to a question on how Indo-French strategic partnership could be improved in the defence sector.

His remarks in an interview to defence journal Indian Defence Review coincides with the four-day visit of French Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Edouard Guillaud here.

Referring to Sarkozy’s emphasis on several occasions that Indo-French partnership contributed to stability and peace not only in the region but globally, Morin said the French President’s December visit would enable progress in bilateral relations in all its facets, "be it facing common threats, or intensifying operational cooperation, or bringing the projects for equipping the Indian armed forces, launched together, to their fruition."

He said the cooperation between the two nations "concerns the very heart of our security: counter-terrorism."

"This is even more indispensable as we often face similar kinds of threats in Afghanistan, in Europe and in India, as borne out by the attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. Further, we have a very promising operational cooperation, be it regarding anti-piracy, joint exercises or officer exchanges," the French Defence Minister added.

He also pitched for France’s Rafale fighter aircraft which is a competitor in the $11 billion Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) ''mother of all deals'' tenders, saying it was "an exceptional aircraft" which met the needs of the Indian Air Force (IAF).