French President Sarkozy arrives in Bangalore

Accompanied by a large official-cum-business delegation, 55-year-old Sarkozy and Bruni landed at the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) airport in the city at 10.05 a.m. amid tight security.

While the president was in a black suit, the first lady wore a light peach dress.
Sarkozy's only official engagement here will be a visit to the satellite centre of the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He will address top scientists, executives and students post-noon on space cooperation between the two countries.

In between, Sarkozy and his delegation will make a transit stay at a seven-star hotel.At the satellite centre, Sarkozy will have a first-hand account of India's space programmes and explore further collaboration between ISRO and the French national space agency Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES).

Sarkozy's interaction with the space agency's top brass includes a presentation on Indo-French joint missions such as the Mega-Tropiques and SARAL (Satellites for Argos and Altika), meant for the study of oceans and atmosphere.

Sarkozy and Bruni leave for Agra later afternoon by a charted aircraft.The Sarkozys spend Saturday night in Agra and will also go to Fatehpur Sikri before flying to Delhi Sunday evening for dinner with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his official residence