New Delhi
2 December 2010
French president Nicolas Sarkozy, his model-turned-singer wife Carla Bruni and
their date with the Taj Mahal will generate as much interest, if not more, than his new jet,
a refurbished Airbus A330-200 dubbed 'Air Sarko One'.
But Sarkozy can be expected to have business on his mind as he prepares to visit India
for the second time in over two years, accompanied by his defence, foreign and five
other ministers and a number of chief executives of French companies.
The French president will be keen to hear from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about
his prognosis of global economic recovery and his advocacy of reform of international
institutions when they meet here Monday.
The reform of international monetary and financial systems is one of France's three key
G-20 priorities. The other two are the reform of global governance, and a mechanism to
increase stability of commodities prices and food security.
Mr Sarkozy begins his four-day visit to India in Bengaluru. After making a private visit to
the Taj Mahal in Agra and holding delegation-level talks in New Delhi, Mr Sarkozy will
conclude his visit Tuesday in Mumbai.
The French president can be expected to hold consultations with Prime Minister Singh on
the G-20 process and seek India's support for his initiatives in the run-up to next year's
G-20 summit to be hosted by France.
France currently holds the rotating presidency of the G-20 and it will also assume the G-8
chair on 1 January 2011.
India and France are expected to sign a few pacts, including a much-anticipated
framework agreement for the supply, initially, of two 1,650 MW reactors, which will
gradually increase to six in number, at Jaitapur in Maharashtra.
Counter-terrorism and defence cooperation will be among the other key issues of
discussion.
The Indian nuclear liability regime could possibly find its way into the talks as the
French government is anxious that legal security of supplier (the state-owned Areva, in
this case) of reactors should be in accordance with international standards.
France supported the ending of India's nuclear isolation as early as in 1998, and it
remains favourably inclined to endorsing US president Barack Obama's support for
India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
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