It is a win-win agreement in terms of non-proliferation worldwide, energy sustainability for India and worldwide and in terms of combating climate change.

President Sarkozy has been particularly forceful in saying we need to enlarge the G-8 as soon as possible, we cannot continue with a G-8 which is limited to western economies or developed economies. It has to open up to emerging economies very quickly and we are happy to know that the Italians who are going to host the next summit want to make progress on this matter.

The relationship between France and India is based on common values and principles. Politically it is based on mutual trust. Economically, it is progressing but we can go further by convincing French companies to invest more in India and for Indian companies to understand the potential of the French market even if it is not their natural, immediate market

•Shekhar Gupta: What is it that gives France its unique position in the world ? Somehow France is always treated differently?

Historically, if you look at the roots of the relationship between France and India you see that much of it derives from the fact that the fathers of independence in India had their inspiration from the French philosophers, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Voltaire, etc.

Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, when they talked about their political inspiration, very often France was one of the sources of their thinking on freedom.

Secondly, President De Gaulle who took over in 1958, drew up a new Constitution; he redefined the relationship between France and the rest of the world by asserting the fact that France was an independent state ready to talk with every state on its merit and ready to address all situations with an independent point of view. This does not mean that we are not a western country, we are a western country. We are friends and allies of the United States and we are proud of it. We are building Europe -- it is one of the major achievements of the post World War II situation -- but we consider that each country, each civilization, each culture is to be treated with respect and in an equal manner and this approach is probably what makes us able to enter into a natural dialogue with so many around the world.

... contd.