French military boss meets Antony, Menon
By IANSMonday, October 18, 2010
NEW DELHI - Ahead of French President Nicholas Sarkozy’s India visit in December, France’s military boss Monday met Defence Minister A.K. Antony and National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon to push forward pending defence deals.
Admiral Edouard Guillaud, the French chief of defence staff, also met Indian Air Force (IAF) head Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik, Indian Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma and Indian Army chief General V.K. Singh, an official at the French embassy here told IANS.
The details of the meetings were not immediately available.
Guillaud is in India on a four-day visit that ends Tuesday after his trip to Mumbai’s Mazagon Docks, where French-designed Scorpene submarines are under construction, sources said.
The nuclear subs being constructed as per a $4 billion deal of 2005 are behind schedule by over two years due to delays in the supply of supplementary parts at the Indian shipyard.
During Sarkozy’s visit, India and France are likely to sign a $2-billion contract for the modernisation of 51 Mirage 2000-H.
France is also eyeing India’s $10 billion contract for 126 fighter aircraft for which Dassault Aviation is contending with Rafale jets.
During Sarkozy’s visit the two countries may also finalise a contract with nuclear group Areva that has already signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of two reactors at Jaitapur in Maharashtra.
