India, Germany to sign Defence cooperation accord

Paris, Sep 4: France has assured India of help in the civilian nuclear energy sector and New Delhi has expressed willingness to take forward the strategic partnership between the two countries.

India will also sign the first ever Defence cooperation agreement with Germany aimed at a buyer-seller relationship and joint production of weapons system and technology transfer.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who arrived here yesterday on a three-day visit, said ''France has assured us of help in the development of nuclear energy for civilian use and we want to take this forward.'' Describing France a ''strategic partner,'' the Defence Minister said India's relations with France in Defence cooperation was ''robust'' and all along Paris had taken an independent position on the supply of armaments and weapons.

Refeerring to the Indo-US Civilian Nuclear Agreement of July 18, 2005, Mr Mukherjee said if the US removed the embargo and lifted the ban on nuclear material supply to India, other followup action could be taken.

''The process has begun and we await its final clearance,'' he added.

About the request for proposals on 126 Multi-role Combat aircraft, the Minister said it would be floated shortly and India's response would be guided by the recently-announced Defence Procurement Procedure for capital acquisitions.

On India's relations with Iran, Mr Mukherjee these were not dependent on Teheran's relations with other countries.

The Defence Minister will also visit Germany on the second leg of his tour. The two countries will sign the first-ever Indo-German Defence Cooperation Agreement aimed at a buyer-seller relationship and upgrading it through joint production of weapon systems and technology transfer.

UNI