Monday, February 20 2006 16:24 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India and France today (Feb 20,2006) signed a landmark document on civilian nuclear cooperation and a defence pact with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declaring that New Delhi would place its nuclear facilities acquired in 'future' through international cooperation under IAEA safeguards.

After extensive talks here, Singh and French President Jacques Chirac described the inking of the Declaration on Development of Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purposes as an 'important step forward' towards realization of the objective of the two countries to conclude a bilateral agreement in this area.

The two countries 'agreed to continue to work together towards the fulfilment of that objective,' a joint statement issued after the talks said, while recalling the statement of September 12 last year in this regard.

Addressing a joint press conference with Chirac, Singh also made it clear that India was committed to honouring in 'letter and spirit' the July 18 Indo-US Joint Statement issued after his talks with President George W Bush in Washington when the two sides signed the landmark civilian nuclear deal.

India and France signed an agreement on defence cooperation, with both sides noting it as an important element in the Strategic Partnership between the two nations, building upon and expanding cooperation in various areas including procurement, production and research and development of defence material.

Seven other pacts in the field of space, commerce, education, tourism, environment, culture and civil aviation.