PARIS: The signing of a crucial Indo-French agreement on transfer of technology for production of French cruise missiles by India was put off due to last-minute hitches, official sources said here on Tuesday. The deal, which also would have facilitated the transfer of critical technology for sub-systems needed for India’s indigenous missile programme, was to have been the high point of defence minister Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to France.

Although Mr Mukherjee had said late Monday night that the “deal is still on track” and that details are “close to being firmed up”, sources said on Tuesday that certain glitches had resulted in the signing of the pact being put off.

There were no details available about what these problems were, and French officials too were tightlipped about why the deal was stalled. The sources said the deal would be signed later.

The proposed agreement envisaged the transfer of technology from European missile consortium MBDA to India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

It was to have been signed in the presence of Mr Mukherjee and French defence minister Michele Aliotte-Marie.

Doing some plain speaking at the delegation-level talks on Monday, Mr Mukherjee told the French defence top brass that they should declare their policy on transfer of critical technologies, and ensure that the strategic partnership between India and France was reflected in Paris’ arms sales policies for China and Pakistan.

Besides cruise missile technology, India is seeking from France the supply of ring laser gyros, a key component holding up progress of the nuclear-capable Agni missile programme as well as other indigenous missiles. India has a joint venture with Russia for making the supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles with a range of about 300 km. But with progress apparently stalled on the prestigious Agni-3 ballistic missile, India is keen to develop an alternative delivery system — a cruise missile with a range of 1,200 to 1,500 km.

In addition to missile technology, India is looking to France for knowhow for other futuristic weapon platforms with applications in space and surveillance, he said.—By arrangement with The Asianage