France, India should cooperate in civil nuke energy: Hollande

President Francois Hollande today pitched for French excellence finding its "rightful place" in the fields of civil nuclear and renewable energy in India, even as he assured investors here that the euro zone crisis was "behind us".

Though India and France have different profiles and environment, both countries have a common goal to raise their growth to cater to the needs of the increased population and their need for access to the consumer market, he said.

Delivering the Madhavrao Scindia Memorial Lecture here, Hollande said while Indians fear that their growth rate could go down to 5 per cent, the French government prepares to revise downwards its forecast of 0.8 per cent in the year gone-by.

The French President also said companies from his country need to invest more in India in the fields of technology and said in a lighter vein that this nation has "numerous" engineers whose numbers are higher than the entire French population.

Focussing on the need for further cooperation, he said India and France should unite their efforts in cooperation on civil nuclear enegry, renewable sources of energy and in agriculture on which majority of people of both countries are dependent on.

"I wish that French excellence in nuclear field and renewable energy finds its rightful place here because you also have the same will," he told the packed hall at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library.

The euro zone crisis, which made it difficult for some countries in the euro area to repay their government debt without the assistance of third parties, was "behind us" but the continent is not out of the economic crisis.

"I want to affirm here with the seriousness and responsibility of the moment we are experiencing and the function that I exercise. The euro zone crisis is behind us," he said.

"There cannot be any progress for a large country like India where there is not a Europe that knows itself stability, confidence and growth," Hollande said and asked India and France to relentlessly pursue the goals set by leaders like Gandhi to ensure that development reaches every citizen.

Talking about his interaction with business heads, the French President said Indians want their rate of growth may exceed eight, nine and 10 per cent and "I dreamt."

"Today, the fear is that it can go down to 5 per cent, which would be a great performance for France but a risk to the Indian economy because your needs related to the increase in population, its need for access to the consumer market, durable goods require strong growth," he said.

"We, in France we are fighting for that growth is not below zero, we will succeed," he said, evoking laughter among the audience.

The French President said both have a common goal to raise their growth and so "our interests are common".

Though commercial exchanges between India and Europe have tripled in the past few years, Hollande said, more needs to be done.