French president arrives in India to clinch $12 billion jet deal

NEW DELHI: French president Francois Hollande embarked on a fresh push on Thursday to clinch a $12-billion sale of Rafale fighter jets as he held talks in India on his first visit to Asia since taking office.

The Socialist president was accompanied by a high-powered delegation of five ministers including foreign minister Laurent Fabius and defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and the chiefs of more than 60 top French companies.

The trip is aimed at building on the "strategic Indo-French partnership launched 15 years ago", a French official said.

It marks Hollande's first visit to Asia since taking office in May and both Indian and French officials say the mission underscores the importance France attaches to ties with the world's second-fastest growing major economy.