France backs India nuclear accord

New Delhi, France's foreign minister said Thursday he was hoping to see India secure a nuclear safeguards agreement with the UN atomic watchdog that would pave the way for energy business in the country.

India needs to reach an agreement on UN inspections as part of a deal with the United States that would give New Delhi access to the global nuclear fuel market even though it has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

"We are deeply in favour of India joining the community of nuclear states," Bernard Kouchner told AFP.

"India should reach an agreement with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and sign its accord with the United States," he said, adding that France -- a major player in the nuclear industry -- wanted the same kind of deal with India.

The controversial Indo-US pact, which critics say would weaken non-proliferation efforts, would end three decades of international sanctions on nuclear trade with India imposed after New Delhi tested nuclear weapons.

But India's Congress-led government is facing stiff domestic opposition to the accord from its communist allies.

India's Left parties have bitterly opposed the accord, saying it may threaten the country's nuclear weapons programme and allow US intervention in the country's foreign policy.

As well as the United States and France, Russia is also eyeing fuel-hungry India as a major atomic energy market.

Kouchner was Thursday meeting with his counterpart Pranab Mukherjee and the powerful head of the ruling Congress party Sonia Gandhi, and was to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday.

Diplomats said the talks would also include discussions on defence cooperation.

The visit comes weeks after India's defence ministry cancelled a 600 million dollar contract with Eurocopter, a unit of European aerospace giant EADS, to supply 197 helicopters to the Indian army.

Indian defence sources have alleged irregularities in the bidding process.