Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi’s France visit yielded a rich harvest of agreements on 10 April and put the India-France Strategic Partnership on a far stronger balance than it was ever in the recent past.
India chose to purchase 36 Rafale aircraft in fly-away conditions at an estimated expense of $4 billion.
“I asked the President to supply us with 36 Rafale jet military planes, the ready to-fly models,” PM Modi said at a joint news meeting with French President Hollande after their discussions in Paris, adding that terms and conditions of the agreement have yet to be concluded and authorities from both sides would work out the points of interest.
Other highlights of the meet were India and France conceding to disassembling of terrorist base, denying places of refuge to terrorists, bringing culprits and conspirators of terrorist attack to justice, France working at high velocity rail in the middle of Chandigarh and Delhi and at least twenty agreements and MoUs signed after Modi’s discussions with Hollande in Paris on Friday.
The key understandings were as per the following:
Science and technology
– MoU on collaboration in the field of Science & Technology between Department of Science & Technology of India and the French National Center for Scientific Research
– MoU between Department of Biotechnology of India and CNRS and UPMC on Collaboration for foundation of a National Institute of Marine Biology and Biotechnology in India
Economic Relations
– MoU on participation in the field of renewable energy between the Ministry of New and renewable energy (MNRE), Government of India and the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy, Government of France
defence and Nuclear Energy
– MoU between L&T and AREVA
– Pre-engineering understandings between NPCIL and AREVA
Space
– MoU between ISRO and CNES on Megha Tropiques
– MOU between ISRO, CNES and ONERA
– Program between ISRO and French National Center for Space Studies
Youth sports
– MoU on Cooperation between the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of India and French Ministry of Sports, Youth Affairs, Public education and Community Life
Railways
– Railway protocol between Indian Ministry of Railways and French National Railways (SNCF)
Society, heritage preservation and tourism
– Authoritative agreement in the field of Cultural Heritage
– Letter of Intent (LoI) on Tourism
– LoI between the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) and National Institute of Preventive Archeological Research
– MOU between School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi and National Architecture Institute in Paris, France
– Proposition for twinning of historical landmarks
– VIE scheme to permit Indian students in France and French students in India to stay for a time of 24 months.
– Letter of Intent on Ayurveda between Ministry of Ayush and University of Strasbourg
Skills Development
– MoU between National Skill Development Agency (NSDA), India and the National Commission for Vocational Qualifications.
