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Ever since deal has been agreed upon, both parties have failed to reach a consensus on pricing of deal
Nayanima Basu | New Delhi July 25, 2!" Last Updated at 20:08 !"
#rench defence minister $ean-%ves Le &rian who is on a two-day visit to
ndia is e'pected to push for the ()* billion +afale deal under which ndia
will be buyin, )2- medium-ran,e multi- role combat aircrafts .//+012
for the 1ir #orce.
3owever4 ever since the deal has been a,reed upon both parties
have failed to reach a consensus on the pricin, of the deal puttin, a
5uestion mar6 on the a,reement. &efence cooperation forms one of the
pillars of ndia-#rance strate,ic bilateral economic relations.
t was earlier e'pected that the much-awaited deal4 which is pe,,ed as one of the world7s lar,est
defence orders4 will be si,ned durin, the #rench 8resident #rancois 3ollande7s visit here in #ebruary
this year. 3owever4 it was not si,ned then as ne,otiations were still on.
Le &rian4 who had earlier visited ndia as part of 8resident 3ollande7s entoura,e4 will meet his
counterpart 19 1ntony durin, the visit. :fficials told ;usiness !tandard4 that the main purpose of the visit
is to review the pro,ress of the ne,otiations as delay in si,nin, the deal has invited considerable criticism
from both sides.
"he #rench defence minister will also be presentin, a <hite 8aper on &efence and =ational !ecurity
to nstitute for &efence and !ecurity 1nalyses .&!124 which was released in 1pril 20)> by 8resident
3ollande to nstitute for &efence and !ecurity 1nalyses .&!12.
#rench firm &assault 1viation had won the ()* billion contract to sell )2- #rench +afale //+01 to
the ndian 1ir #orce in $anuary 20)2. "he plan is to import )8 of the fi,hter ?ets from &assault directly
while the remainin, )08 will be manufactured in ;an,alore by 3industan 1eronatics Limited .31L2.
Le &rian is also scheduled to visit the 1ir #orce base in @walior for a briefin, on the ndian /ira,e
2000 s5uadrons and interaction with pilots4 officers and technicians who fly and maintain the fleet. Last
month4 the minister had said that the first batch of +afale will be delivered to ndia by 20)--20)A.
Last month on the sidelines of the 8aris 1ir !how4 senior officials from 31L and &assualt met to
discuss the final contours of the a,reement.
ndia and #rance is also ?ointly developin, shortBran,e surfaceBtoBair missile .!+!1/2. &urin, his visit4
8resident 3ollande discussed the matter with 8rime /inister /anmohan !in,h of the +s.ll4::: crore deal to
research and develop /ira,e 2000 aircraft.
#rance also plans to sell )CA helicopters to the ndian 1rmy. "his will be #ranceDs second such attempt
after a similar deal worth (-00 million ,ot cancelled in 200A.