India, France eye intergovernmental pact to seal $9 bln Rafale deal – Hollande

India and France have signed an agreement on the long-delayed purchase of 36 French Rafale fighter jets but have yet to reach a deal on financial issues, the leaders of both countries said Monday, AFP reported.

French President Francois Hollande began a three-day visit to India on Sunday that could push a multibillion-dollar deal for combat airplanes and closer cooperation on counterterrorism and clean energy.

The two sides are also expected to touch on anti-terrorism efforts including speeding up extradition requests and cracking down on money laundering used to fund militant activities.

"Nothing will deter us, no threat will make France waver in the fight against terrorism", the French president told reporters in New Delhi.

In an interview with the Press Trust of India news agency, Hollande hinted it might take some more time to sign the deal.

Hollande and Modi stepped into the deal previous year, ordering government-to-government talks after commercial negotiations with planemaker Dassault Aviation had collapsed. Hollande said the final agreement could be achieved in a few days. Eighteen years ago, France was the first country we signed a strategic partnership with.

Earlier, Modi met Hollande at the Rock Garden here and the two leaders took a tour of the famous landmark created by Nek Chand.

Republic Day is celebrated every year so that people who are going to participate in Roadies audition and Alia Bhatt can figure out who the Prime Minister of India is.

France has also promised support for India's clean-energy quest, including a solar energy alliance launched last month during global climate talks held in Paris.

According to the French president, the ISA must act in three ways: pool the demand of high-potential countries and use the resulting mass-effect to bring down the financing costs; harmonise the solar markets and open them up to reduce the cost of investments and for users; and enable the necessary technology transfers between developed and developing countries.

Last year, the Republic Day parade was attended by Barack Obama.