India, France sign civil nuclear cooperation pact

Paris, Sept 30 (PTI) Scripting a new era in bilateral
ties, India and France 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 here.

France is the first country to open nuclear commerce
with India after the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group
(N.S.G.) granted a waiver to New Delhi on September six. The
Indo-U.S. 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
(P.S.L.V.) 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
N.S.G. 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 U.S. and France,
Singh addressed India-E.U. 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 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 Indian Space Research
Organisation Chairman G. Madhavan Nair and Francois Auque,
C.E.O. 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 P.S.L.V. launch
services from Antrix, the commercial arm of I.S.R.O.

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.