Prime Minister?s statement to the media at the Joint Press Interaction

Your Excellency President Nicolas Sarkozy,
Distinguished representatives of the media.

It is a great pleasure to welcome President Nicolas Sarkozy to India. President Sarkozy’s visit is the fourth in a series of high level exchanges between India and France in the last three years. This reflects the high importance that both our Governments attach to our Strategic Partnership.

The strengthening of this partnership owes a great deal to the personal commitment of President Sarkozy. It is because of his inspiring leadership and unqualified support that relations between India and France are today underpinned by warmth, dynamism, strong mutual trust and confidence.

My discussions with the President were wide-ranging and extremely productive. We have made significant progress on all issues that are part of our bilateral agenda.

In the field of nuclear energy, negotiations have reached an advanced stage to pave the way for the launching of nuclear power reactors in Jaitapur in partnership with Indian industry. Several other agreements to expand interaction in the nuclear sector to areas such as research and training of scientists and students, nuclear safety, nuclear waste management and regulatory practices have been concluded.

France is one of India?s most important and reliable defence partners. We deeply appreciate France?s willingness to supply us advanced defence technologies in a way that contributes to the modernisation of our own defence industry. Counter-terrorism is a significant area of cooperation, where we are making good progress.

The areas of space, science and technology, research and development and green technologies are emerging as the new sources of growth which can drive our relationship forward in the coming years. France has been highly supportive of India?s space capabilities in Europe which we value immensely.

President Sarkozy and I have renewed our determination to achieve the trade target of 12 billion Euros by 2012. We value the role being played by the India-France CEOs Forum.

We will examine their recommendations on increasing investments in the energy, water and infrastructure sectors, establishment of joint ventures in third countries, and enhancing collaboration in areas of R&D and higher education.

We discussed our cooperation in the fields of education and culture. India will soon establish an Indian Cultural Centre in Paris. France will collaborate with us in the creation of a centre of excellence in the Indian Institute of Technology, Rajasthan.

I congratulated the President on France?s assumption of the Chairmanship of the Group of 20. We will work closely with France to push forward the process of global economic recovery, better regulation, and financial sector reform. France has been a consistent advocate of India’s permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council. It has also been an active supporter of India in other international forums, for which we are grateful.

We discussed other regional and global issues of common concern, including the situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and Myanmar, terrorism and climate change. We have agreed to work closely with each other on all these issues during our membership of the UN Security Council.

President Sarkozy’s visit has provided further impetus to our partnership and reconfirmed its strategic nature. Ours is a relationship that rests on shared democratic values and is an essential part of the global peace and development architecture.

I once again extend a very warm welcome to President Sarkozy and Mrs. Carla Bruni Sarkozy and wish them a very pleasant stay in India, a country where they have many admirers and are held in the highest esteem.

I now invite President Sarkozy to make his remarks.

Thank you.