French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday backed India's bid for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council and also called upon Pakistan to fight terrorism even as India and France signed seven deals, most of them for setting up two nuclear plants.

"It (UNSC seat) is not just an important matter for India but for the equilibrium of the world," Sarkozy said in his opening remarks at a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after the two held talks at the Hyderabad House here.