French defence minister Florence Parly, ahead of Macron's ongoing visit to India, had written to her Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman that France is keen to "initiate discussions on the proposal of providing an additional 36 aircraft to the IAF, with a very significant share of Make in India".
The two countries have signed 14 agreements today.
Macron said, "Stability in the Indian Ocean is very important for the stability of the entire region, and we are with India for freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific".
What we need is a change in mindset, facilitate entrepreneurship, increase risk takers' numbers.
As PM Modi and President Macron met, the French presidency said in a statement that French and Indian companies today signed contracts worth 13 billion ($16 billion). The Indian Air Force has also been favouring procurement of more Rafale from France. Both sides also announced a new phase of cooperation in space security focussed on the maritime domain and a fresh logistics agreement that will allow their defence forces to closely cooperate on mutually agreed operations.
"I want to double the number of Indian students coming to France", he said later on Twitter.
Macron's visit comes after a somewhat misstep-laden visit to India by Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau.
Trump asked witnesses about special counsel conversations
Carter Page , a former Trump campaign aide. "And then I'll laugh", he said numerous times on MSNBC . Nunberg was close to Bannon, but he has said a lot of very negative things about Trump.
Trade between India and France in 2016-17 touched $10.95 billion (€8.9 billion), with France listed as the ninth largest foreign investor in India with a cumulative investment of over $6 billion (€4.87 billion) from April 2000 to October 2017, according to Indian government figures.
He finally concluded by saying that for the sake of Earth's future, India and France were committed to the success of the International Solar Conference (ISA). The primary objective of the alliance is to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
India's main exports to France include textiles, boilers, electrical machinery and equipment, organic chemicals, railroad rolling stock, mineral fuels, leather goods, and gems and jewelry.
Macron will then go to Derek helipad from where he and Modi, who is also the Lok Sabha member from Varanasi, will drive to Assi Ghat on the banks of the holy river Ganga.
Speaking to media after being accorded a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Macron said he has three purposes for this visit.
India already has a rocket capable of putting a four-ton class crew module in space using the Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle MK III and a rudimentary crew module has already been tested in 2014.
