Tuesday, September 5 2006 18:04 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Paris: The signing of a crucial Indo- French agreement on transfer of technology for production of French cruise missiles by India was put off due to last minute hitches, official sources said today (Sept 5, 2006).

The deal, which also would have facilitated the transfer of critical technology for sub-systems needed for India's indigenious missile programme, was to have been the high point of Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit to France.

Although Mukherjee had said late last night that the "deal is still on track" and details are close to being firmed up, sources today said certain hitches had resulted in the signing of the pact being put off.

There were no details about the hitches, and French officials too were tightlipped about why the deal was stalled. The sources said the deal would be signed later.

The proposed agreement envisaged the transfer of technology from European missile consortium MBDA to India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It was to have been signed in the presence of Mukherjee and his French counterpoint Michele Aliotte-Marie.

Doing some plain speaking at delegation-level talks yesterday, Mukherjee told the French defence top brass that they should declare their policy on transfer of critical technologies, and ensure that the strategic partnership between India and France was reflected in Paris' arms sales policies for China and Pakistan.