FRENCH President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday condemned Pakistan for allowing extremists “safe havens” in its tribal border areas as he paid tribute to the 166 victims of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist strikes that emanated from that country.
In Mumbai on the last of his four-day India trip, Sarkozy said it was “unacceptable” that terror networks found refuge in Pakistan and used it as a springboard to attack Indian and French troops in Afghanistan.
“It is unacceptable for the world that terrorist acts should be masterminded and carried out by terrorist groups in Pakistan,” Sarkozy said. He called upon Islamabad to demonstrate its sincerity in combating fundamentalist elements.
The French president also said there would be no limit to “operational co-operation” in counter-terrorism with India, a declaration that pleased his hosts in New Delhi who by year-end will have received visits from the heads of the UN Security Council’s five permanent members.
With the exception of neighbouring nuclear rival China, the remaining four – Britain, France, Russia and the US – are seeking lucrative military and civil nuclear contracts from an economically resurgent and strategically assertive India. They are also reaffirming strategic, military and political relations with India to jointly combat terrorism, climate change and nuclear proliferation.
Mr Sarkozy’s office yesterday claimed deals totalling $20 billion (€15 billion) had been or were to be linked with the Indian government and private companies.
On Monday, Mr Sarkozy and India’s prime minister Manmohan Singh unveiled plans for a $9.3 billion agreement by which France’s Areva nuclear group would supply two reactors for a new plant in western Maharashtra state, of which Mumbai is the capital.
Other deals with France will include upgrading 52 Mirage 2000 fighters for about $3.33 billion and jointly developing a short-range surface-to-air missile system.
France’s leading fighter aircraft Rafael is one of six models competing for a $10 billion contract in support of the Indian Air Force’s requirement for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft. It is competing against rival bids from Europe, Russia and the US.
British prime minister David Cameron visited India in July when he signed a $779 million deal for BAE Systems-built Hawk advanced jet trainers and, much to Delhi’s delight, castigated Islamabad for its role in nurturing Islamist terrorist groups.
US President Barack Obama followed in early November and announced $15 billion in business deals with India, including military transport aircraft.
He also declared that the US would relax the nearly 30-year-old ban on transferring high-end technology in the military and space sectors, imposed after Delhi’s maiden nuclear test in 1974.
Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, who arrives in Delhi in the next few days, is expected to further strengthen age-old bilateral military ties and sign the Preliminary Design Contract to jointly develop the advanced stealth fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) programme worth an estimated $30-32 billion.
India envisages contributing $8-10 billion towards the fighter’s developmental costs and eventually acquire between 200-250 aircraft from 2017.
However, the most important visit to India will be that by Chinese leader Wen Jibao in mid-December. The visit comes amid growing tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours over territorial wrangles, power ambitions and simmering military tensions.
India is also wary of China’s close strategic, military and nuclear links with Pakistan and other neighbours such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Beijing is suspicious of Delhi’s proliferating ties with the US and other western countries as well as several southeast Asian states such as Malaysia and Vietnam.