NEW DELHI, Sept 19: India and France are close to signing a nuclear energy agreement similar to a deal New Delhi has already struck with Washington, India’s top diplomat said on Friday.

The accord is expected to be signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to France on September 30, Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon said.

“We are working on signing the agreement,” Menon told reporters.

The text of the accord with France was finalised during French President Nicholas Sarkozy’s visit to New Delhi in January.

New Delhi’s plans to enter the loop of global atomic commerce received a boost on September 6 when the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which controls the trade, amended its rules to allow India to buy equipment and fuel.—AFP