French President Sarkozy hails exceptional success of Bangalore

"I wanted to start this second visit to India here in Bangalore, at the headquarters of the Indian space agency, since the ties that France and India are building here in this field serve to further the ideals which form the basis of our friendship: science, youth and the future," Sarkozy said.

The French President delivered a 25-minute address to a gathering of around 500 persons, comprising scientists and senior executives of various French and Indian companies at ISAC (Indian Space Research Organisation Satellite Centre) in this Information Technology industry hub.

"I have come to pay tribute to the exceptional success of Bangalore, its inhabitants and its companies, which have transformed this metropolis into a world-class city, one of the major focal points for modern trade," Sarkozy, who was accompanied by wife Carla Bruni and Ministerial and business delegations, said.

French sources said unlike the US, outsourcing is not a politically-sensitive issue in France.

Sarkozy also paid tributes to the success of ISRO, which is jointly developing Megha-Tropiques and Saral satellites with its French counterpart CNES. "CNES and ISRO will develop a new research programme together."

"... why should we (India and France) work together? Because we refuse to allow the space adventure to ever become the monopoly of just one or two states and we want, on the contrary, that all States that have the means, remain in the race," he said.