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President of France and his glamorous wife ex-model Carla Bruni arrived in Bangalore today on Saturday on 4 day visit to India hoping to strengthen bilateral relationship between the two countries by signing a mega nuclear deal and strengthening ties in key areas of space, defence and nuclear cooperation.

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Sources have reported that Sarkozy is accompanied by a high level delegation which includes senior officials and key ministers of his cabinet.

Immediately after arriving the tech city, the visitors were driven to the nearby Leela palace hotel for a brief stay.

The only official engagement of the President on Saturday is to address the scientists of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on space cooperation between the two countries. Moreover, it is speculated that at the satellite centre, Sarkozy will explore further collaboration between ISRO and French National Space Agency Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES).

Sources have also reported that France is set to open more consulates in India. Valerie Pecresse who is the French minister for higher education will inaugurate the Bangalore consulates which will the fourth French consulate in India. Earlier, French consulates were in Mumbai, Kolkata and Pondicherry.

Carla is expected to spend time at seven star hotel today. The four day visit of President is going to be memorable to the President and his wife as they will visit Agra, Delhi and Mumbai.

France has become India’s fifth trading partner in Europe. Bilateral trade between India and France was estimated to be 5.36 billion Euros last year.

The two countries have set a target of achieving 12 billion Euros bilateral trade by 2012.

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