Alt tag: A file photograph of French Premier Jean Pierre Raffarin Raffarin asks IA to firm up Airbus deal Bangalore: Seeking to further boost the bilateral trade with India, France Prime Minister Jean Pierre Raffarin on February 6 asked Indian Airlines, which has chosen to buy 43 Airbus planes to finalise the decision soon.

In his address at the Aero India 2003, the mega air show event, he said there was renewal of the fleets operated by the airlines in India and Indian Airlines has chosen to buy 43 Airbus planes.

"I am of course hopeful that this choice will soon be made official," Raffarin said.

He said Air India also needs long haul aircraft and his country would be pleased if it was also to choose Airbus, while eyeing on business expansion in the aircraft sector.

Touching on the 30-year-long co-operation between the two countries, he said, "This experience opens up prospects for further promising co-operation in both the civil and the military aeronautics and space sectors."

Raffarin said the Indo-French co-operation in the field of aircraft engines also opens up new prospects and added Snecma Moteurs will soon be submitting a proposal for the HJT 36 jet trainer engine, while Thales and Sagem have been selected to produce other components of this aircraft.

He said the inking of large contract between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and TURBOMECA on February 6 for the engine for the light helicopter will lend new momentum to the co-operation between the two countries and opens up broader prospects in the civil and military spheres.

Raffarin paid tributes to Kalpana Chawla saying "her courage and her determination will be for ever engraved in our memories".

PTI