NEW DELHI: The secret aim of Indian prime minister Narasimha Rao’s trip to France was to build up a new, anti-U,S. axis with France following Washington’s pressure on Russia not to supply rocket technology to this country, according to diplomats here. France at the moment is psychologically disposed towards finding new allies to bail it out of the financial problems it faces in the European community. Rao’s other largest is to seek French support for Tara pore nuclear plant. France supplies enriched uranium for the plant and the arrangement is coming to an end next year. India wants the supply to continue. Yet another area of Indian interest is to impress upon Paris the need to sign an extradition treaty on the lines of the Indo-British treaty finalized recently in the tooth of opposition from human rights activists.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 9, 1992
