N-plant deal for sustainability high on French Prez Hollande's agenda

BANGALORE, INDIA: A sustainable energy project is figuring high on the priority list of French President Francois Hollande, who has come down to India on an official two-day visit - his first such to an Asian country since he assumed office last May - which started on Thursday.

It is pertinent to note that he has got along a bevy of five ministers, including Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, besides chiefs of about 60 top French companies.

"Our relations are growing fast in all sectors... in economic, industrial and commercial spheres," an Indian foreign ministry official was quoted saying by NDTV, who reportedly, however, cautioned against expecting any big-bang announcements from Hollande's visit.

The deal, apart from the $12 billion-worth Rafale one, that is expected to be discussed is a contract for major sustainable energy player from France, Areva, to build a 9,900-megawatt nuclear power plant in Jaitapur, Maharashtra.

The French company is involved in building six third-generation pressurized water reactors under the civil nuclear co-operation deal for the project - worth $9.3-billion - signed by both governments in 2010, when Nicolas Sarkozy was the President of France.

"The visit will be important as the French government intends to invest in India's infrastructure sector as well as health and education," Business Standard quoted a senior French bureaucrat.

"Negotiations to build the reactors got stalled due to the Fukushima problem (in Japan). But our reactors will be third-generation reactors and we will ensure safety of the reactors. But the talks are not stuck. Our dialogue on the nuclear liability issue is also on."