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High-level Indo-French defence talks today

Krzytof de Breza in Paris

The long pending issue of Mirage sales to India is likely to figure in talks when the Indo-French high committee on defence meets in Paris for a three-day session starting Wednesday.

Defence secretary T R Prasad is leading the delegation that also includes vice-chief of air staff Air Marshal P S Brar, vice-chief of army staff Lt General Chandrashekhar, vice chief of the naval staff P J Jacob and additional secretary (defence procurement and supplies) Dhirendra Singh. The French delegation will be led by Jean Bernard Ouvrieu and will include senior French military and civilian officers.

The meeting will start with an address by Prasad and Ouvrieu, after which the gathering will split into three subcommittees -strategic, military and armament. The subcommittees will hold separate day long meetings on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Indian delegation will leave for Villacomblay, a French air force base on Friday, before visiting the French naval headquarters at Cherbourg, where Indian officials will visit a shipyard and a submarine construction facility.

Informed sources told rediff.com that though the high committee on defence is not the final authority to decide on military purchases, the issue of the long pending deal on 10 Mirage 2000s will figure high on the agenda.

India has been negotiating with the French aircraft manufacturer - Dassault - for the last 15 years, but no decision has been reached yet, largely due to Dassault's intransigence on the price.

Another issue that is likely to figure high is the question of purchase of the Advanced Jet Trainers by India. Though India had indicated that the deal might go the United Kingdom, the recent controversy involving the non-return of two Sea Harrier jets by the British - which have imposed sanctions on India following the nuclear tests - has marred its prospects, a source told rediff.com.

During his stay here, Prasad will also call upon the French Defence Minister Alain Richard, who had recently visited India. Prasad is also due to meet the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Pierre Kelche and general secretary of the French ministry of foreign affairs, Hennekine.

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