Saturday, September 10 2005 10:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh leaves in New Delhi tomorrow (Sept 10, 2005) on a weeklong visit to France and then to New York where he will meet Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to give a further impetus to the Indo-Pak peace process.

On the sidelines of the world body's annual plenary session, Singh will also meet US President George W Bush for a follow-up discussion on his meeting in July which led to a historic deal under which Washington offered to resume nuclear supplies to India.

Opening his visit with a hectic schedule in Paris en route, Singh will be the first Prime Minister in seven years to go to France, an important European strategic partner in India's quest for an increased role in global affairs and a ready friend for giving access to high technology in various sectors including nuclear cooperation.

The Prime Minister will have wide-ranging discussions with President Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Dominique Villepin and other leaders on Monday that is expected to cover bilateral cooperation in economic, defence and nuclear fields.

He will also interact with French CEOs.

The long negotiated two billion dollar deal for acquiring nine Scorpene submarines, already believed to have been cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security, is expected to be wrapped up during the visit.

"It is a very important visit," Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran told a media briefing yesterday adding "France is one of our very close partners." As part of the high-level exchanges, Chirac will visit India early next year.

India and France enjoy a strategic partnership

India and France enjoy a strategic partnership and were cooperating in international for a on a range of important issues. India has been very appreciative of the French support to it on nuclear and other issues.

One of the P-5 members, France has been supportive of India's bid for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council and had co-sponsored the G-4 framework resolution for increasing the strength of the Security Council.

France has been amenable to India accessing high technology in the fields of electronics, avionics, telecom and nuclear fields.

The current trade between the two countries stood at Euro 2.9 billion with Indian exports accounting for Euro 1.6 billion and imports at Euro 1.36 billion. There was a 25 per cent growth in trade last year. French Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India accounted for US$ 760 million.

The Prime Minister very much looked forward to his visit to France, Saran said recalling the cultural and political affinities between the two countries and Paris' acknowledgement of India's aspirations to emerge as a major power.

In New York, Singh will also be meeting Chinese President Hu Jintao and South African President Thabo Mbeki. He will attend a meeting of Heads of State of IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) Forum besides participating in a meeting of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) leaders hosted by Malaysia.

The Prime Minister's address to the UN will focus on the Millenium Development Goals set up by the world body on factors like economic, social and human development indices for developing and less developed countries.

He will also have an interaction with American CEOs and address the Indian community.]

External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh, who is accompanying the Prime Minister, will also have a hectic schedule of bilateral and multilateral meetings on the sidelines of the United Nations Development Programme (UNGA).

He will meet the Foreign Ministers of NAM and Commonwealth besides those of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Team-Nine comprising India and eight other West African nations.

Singh will participate in the Asian Cooperation Dialogue, a Thai initiative, and attend a trilateral meeting of foreign ministers of India, Russia and China. India has offered to host the next trilateral meeting next year.