Scripting a new era in bilateral ties, India and France on Tuesday signed a landmark agreement on civil nuclear cooperation that covers supply of reactors and atomic fuel in the first concrete step to bring New Delhi back into the nuclear mainstream after 34 years of isolation.
"We expect to finalise agreements with other European partners too" on civil nuclear cooperation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said after holding talks with President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Tuesday.
France is the first country to open nuclear commerce with India after the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) granted a waiver to New Delhi on 6th September.
The Indo-US nuclear deal is awaiting Congressional nod and an agreement on it between the two countries is expected to be inked soon.
"Today we have added a new dimension to our strategic partnership by signing an inter-governmental agreement on civil nuclear cooperation," Singh said after the Indo-France Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement was signed in the presence of the two leaders by Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.
The agreement will form the basis of wide ranging bilateral cooperation from basic and applied research to full civil nuclear cooperation including reactors, fuel supplies, nuclear safety, radiation and environment protection and nuclear fuel cycle management.
The atomic pact is one of the three agreements signed during Singh's two-day visit to Paris. The other two relates to social security matters which will benefit Indian and French nationals staying in each others countries on short duration up to five years and a Long Term Agreement on utilisation of the Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) launch services.
"France is the first country with whom we have entered into such an agreement after the lifting of international restrictions on civil nuclear cooperation with India by the NSG. I conveyed to President Sarkozy our gratitude for France's consistent support to our civil nuclear initiative," Singh said.
The two countries decided to give a new impetus to their cooperation for the development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes as an expression of their strategic partnership.
A statement on the agreement said both sides recognise nuclear energy as a reliable source of sustainable and non-polluting energy, it could make a significant contribution to meeting the global challenge of achieving energy security.
It also noted that both the countries share common concerns and objectives in the field of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery including in view of possible linkages to terrorism.
As responsible states with advanced nuclear technologies, including in the fuel cycle, the two countries are interested to promote nuclear energy with the highest standards of safety and security, the statement said.
Wrapping up his 10-day visit to the US and France, Singh addressed India-EU Business Summit, during which he said New Delhi expects to finalise agreements on civil nuclear cooperation with other European countries.
Under the social security agreement inked on Tuesday, workers on short term contract up to five years, do not have to make any social security contribution provided they continue to make social security payment in India and France respectively.
For Indians working in France, these benefits shall be available even when the Indian company sends its employees to the French Republic from a third country.
The agreement will result in benefits for Indian nationals when working in France and French nationals in India.
Indian workers would be entitled to the export of social security benefits if they relocate to India after the completion of their service in France.
Another pact was signed between ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair and Francois Auque, CEO of Astrium, a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, a global leader in aerospace and defence space systems and services.
The agreement enables Astrium to offer attractive solutions in the international markets for in-orbit delivery of its earth observation satellites, using the PSLV launch services from Antrix, the commercial arm of ISRO.
Along the past six years, both companies have been successfully cooperating in the field of space activities, as evidenced by the award of two telecommunication satellite contracts, W2M for Eutelsat and HYLAS for Avanti Systems.
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