Cooperation in space important part of India's strategic ties with France: Menon

Paris, Sept 30 (ANI): Cooperation in space is an important part of India's strategic partnership with France, said Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon on Tuesday after signing of the civil nuclear deal.

"A new dimension was added to our strategic partnership with the signing of inter-governmental agreement on civil nuclear cooperation," said Menon, adding that it is the first such agreement that the country has entered into after the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) waiver.

The chief of Department of Atomic Energy, Anil Kakodkar said: " The civil nuclear agreement will allow India and France to move forward in nuclear cooperation."

The agreement with France will help India to increase its share of non-fossil energy production and to that extent we can produce clean energy, said Kakodkar while emphasizing India's need to enhance its electricity production.

Kakodkar further said that in the manufacture sector cooperation could get started even under the ambit of the present version of the Atomic Energy Act and there is no such serious impediment.

India's re-entry into the global nuclear trade market after 34 years was achieved today with the historical signing of a bilateral agreement for civil nuclear cooperation with France.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and the chief of the Department of Atomic Energy signed the agreement in the French President's office in the Champs Elysee here in the presence of President Nicholas Sarkozy and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. (ANI)