France hits out at Pak amid pitch for jet deal

Jul 27, 2013 |

Age Correspondent

Making a strong pitch to finalise the mega-deal for acquisition of 126 Medium Multi-role Combat Aircraft between India and France’s Dassault, possibly worth around $17 billion, French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian sought to address India’s security concerns by criticising the presence and “concentration of terrorist elements” in nuclear-armed Pakistan, adding that “the alleged handlers of the Mumbai attacks still roam free”.

France also said it is willing to participate in joint co-development and co-production projects with India, that could include export of manufactured equipment to other countries, saying both had moved beyond a “client-supplier relationship”.
The French minister held talks Friday morning with defence minister A.K. Antony, when the MMRCA deal is learnt to have cropped up, although the joint statement later made no mention of it. Contract negotiations are now on to acquire the Rafale aircraft after Dassault was chosen the lowest bidder several months ago.

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