Sarkozy: business or pleasure?

European leaders Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy will be visiting India this week. But it is the French statesman that will command more attention as guest of honour during the annual Republic Day celebrations in Delhi.

There will be much fretting in India over protocol if Sarkozy's new partner, supermodel-turned-singer Carla Bruni, is in tow. Delhi may leave it up to the French to decide if First Lady privileges should be bestowed on Bruni, or if she will be accorded simple delegate status.

Onto more serious matters: last year, the Indians abruptly cancelled a lucrative Eurocopter deal, finalisation of which could have been a highlight of Sarkozy's visit. Franco-Indian military ties had already been soured by allegations of corruption around the sale of Scorpene submarines. This makes headline grabbing defence deals unlikely. But defence issues are still on the agenda. The cream of India's military muscle will be on parade, and leaders will discuss the first joint exercises, scheduled for March.

Meanwhile, French hopes to cash in the legitimisation of Indian nuclear activity are on the backburner, at least until the controversial India-US civilian nuclear deal wins international approval.