French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault began a four-day visit to India with a meeting Sunday (8) with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bolster the “strategic partnership” between the two countries.
Ayrault held talks for 45 minutes with the Hindu nationalist leader in the southern hi-tech hub of Bangalore, where he will stay until Monday evening.
“The number one objective (of this trip) is to stress the strategic partnership and move it into a higher gear,” the minister said afterwards.
The visit is part of a series of meetings between Indian and French leaders. President Francois Hollande has visited India twice during his five-year term, in 2013 and 2016. Modi, who took office in 2014, has twice visited France.
Ayrault and Modi discussed in particular collaboration in the defence sector, a few months after the sale of 36 French Rafale fighters to India for about eight billion euros ($8.4 billion).
Asked about the possibility of future arms deals with India, which has become the world’s largest weapons importer as it tries to modernise its arsenal, the minister said Modi was “ready to examine everything”.
India “is a huge country, which has a very important need to ensure its security against all the challenges it faces”, said Ayrault.
The minister will on Tuesday visit the western state of Gujarat, where Modi was chief minister for over a decade, accompanied by a delegation of about 100 representatives of French companies.
Annual trade between France and India is worth some eight billion euros, a figure that has grown markedly since 2000.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)