NEW DELHI, 11 September 2005 — Within a week of strengthening ties with Britain during Prime Minister Tony Blair’s India visit, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will concentrate on improving relations with another major European power — France. Manmohan leaves for a week-long overseas tour today, beginning with a visit to Paris. He is the first Indian prime minister to visit France in seven years. Manmohan will have wide-ranging discussions with President Jacques Chirac and other French leaders tomorrow. The discussions are expected to cover bilateral cooperation in economic, defense and nuclear fields. With France projected as India’s “strategic partner,” Indian officials regard Manmohan’s visit as “very important.”
During his visit, final touches are expected to be given to the $2 billion-deal for acquiring six Scorpene submarines. Chirac will be visiting India early next year.
France has been forthcoming in its support for India’s bid for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council. France also cosponsored the G-4 framework resolution for increasing the strength of the Security Council. India has been appreciative of the French support to it in high technology fields of electronics, avionics, telecom and nuclear fields. The upswing in Indo-French relations is marked by their bilateral trade that stood at 2.9 billion euros in 2004, increasing by 25 percent over the previous year.
Manmohan reaches New York on Sept. 13. In New York, on the sidelines of the 60th plenary of the United Nations General Assembly, Manmohan is scheduled to have meetings with five presidents — of China, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa and the United States. His meeting with President George W. Bush will be a follow-up discussion on the one they held in July, which led to a historic deal under which Washington offered to resume nuclear supplies to India.
On Sept. 14, while Manmohan will be the co-host of launch of UN Democracy Fund, Bush will play the host. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will also attend the function. This organization was initiated last year by the United States and supported by India.
The prime minister will also attend the three-nation IBSA summit comprising India, Brazil and South Africa and a Non-Aligned Movement meeting hosted by Malaysia, the current chairman. In addition, meetings have been scheduled with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Russian President Vladimir Putin and South African President Thabo Mbeki.
But world focus will be on the dinner Manmohan will host for Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Sept. 14. After addressing the UN General Assembly on Sept. 15, the prime minister will meet community leaders at a reception hosted by the Indian ambassador to the US, Ronen Sen.
