Focus on anti-terror

French President Francois Hollande vowed yesterday not to weaken his resolve against terrorism as he held talks with India's leader on security cooperation and a long-delayed defence deal.

Hollande said he and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to step up cooperation on counter-terrorism after deadly attacks on Paris in November that recalled the 2008 assault on Mumbai.

But they failed to reach a final agreement on India's long-delayed purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets from the French company Dassault.

The French president said a new video which threatens countries of the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group would only strengthen France's resolve which was tested by November's deadly attacks in Paris.

"These odious provocations only serve to further increase the resolve that we have, that I have, to protect French people through the decisions that I have taken... but also to hit, and hit again, this organisation that threatens us and kills our children," he said.

Modi also spoke of the two leaders' joint resolve to increase security cooperation, recalling a deadly raid earlier this month on an Indian military base near the Pakistan border.

"President Hollande and I have agreed to scale up the range of our counter terrorism cooperation in a manner that helps us to tangibly mitigate and reduce the threat of extremism and terrorism to our societies," he said.