Hailing the recent Scorpene submarine deal with India as promoting the bilateral relations, France has said that it will be implemented in a transparent manner under the framework of operational cooperation.
French Ambassador Dominic Girard said the $3 billion (Rs 13,000 crore approximately) deal acted as a curtain raiser of sorts to President Jacques Chirac's significant visit to India later this month.
"The agreement is a symbol of how bilateral relations are growing fast," he said at a reception hosted to celebrate the deal in New Delhi on Thursday.
The deal for purchase of six French-made submarines was decided during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Paris in September and was signed on December 15 last.
Girard said the Scorpene deal would mean a lot of technology transfer. "The technology transfer has a meaning if it is done in the framework of a strategic partnership. We have done that," he said.
"We are in the process of building a superb instrument of wonderful relations," he said, adding that the Scorpene deal will help in furthering good relations between the two countries.
Girard said the submarine deal reflected not only the industrial capability of French companies but also their experience.
"The kind of relations that have developed over the last three years is quite amazing," he said, pointing out that this was done in the background of common vision of two countries for the world.
Submarines are very useful means to fight against terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction that the two countries will be facing together in the future, he said.
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