Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (2nd L) shows the way to India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (2nd R) as they meet in Moscow's Kremlin, December 7, 2009. [Agencies]

Russia, India seal nuclear cooperation deal

MOSCOW: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sealed a nuclear cooperation agreement that involves the construction of four reactors after talks in Moscow on Monday.

The nuclear deal could significantly widen atomic fuel exports from Russia to India and will see more Russian-built reactors in India, both sides to the talks said.

"Today we have signed an agreement which broadens the reach of our cooperation beyond the supply of nuclear reactors to areas of research and development and a whole range of areas of nuclear energy," Singh said at a Kremlin press conference.

Russia is also interested in participating in the construction of another nuclear plant in India that would become the third plant raised by Rosatom in the country, he said.

Kiriyenko estimated the deal value at "several dozens of billion of dollars" and could involve the construction of more than 12 reactors, though Singh said it would involve the construction of four reactors.

"In a symbol of expanding India/Russia cooperation in nuclear energy four more new units will come up there, in addition, we have identified an additional site in the state of West Bengal," said Singh.  

Medvedev said Russia did not want to see new states obtaining nuclear weapons capabilities but was interested in civilian cooperation.

He said nuclear cooperation with India had a "very big, very good future".

"We have a good experience of cooperation on the site in Kudankulam," Medvedev said. "Now we are thinking about joint work on another site."

The signing of the civilian nuclear deal is expected to be the central achievement of the three-day visit, officials said.

Russia has been seeking to strengthen its foothold in the Indian nuclear market before a deal with Washington gives major US companies access to the Indian market.

The 2005 civil nuclear deal that Singh signed with former US President George W. Bush, ended the long nuclear isolation imposed on India after it tested an atom bomb in 1974.

But several issues need to be cleared up before US businesses including General Electric Co and Westinghouse Electric Co, a subsidiary of Japan's Toshiba Corp, can compete for billions of dollars in new reactor agreements.

Russia is building nuclear reactors at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and plans to build additional plants.