MARSEILLE, Sept 29: Indian and French leaders vowed to boost nuclear energy cooperation at an annual summit on EU-India ties on Monday which was dominated by trade, global warming and the world financial crisis.

“France, which has great trust in India and its prime minister, has worked hard so that India can have access to civilian nuclear energy,” said French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency.

He was speaking at a press conference with Indian Premier Manmohan Singh, who arrived in France from the US.

Mr Singh will meet French political leaders and nuclear energy executives on Tuesday.

He is also expected to sign a major nuclear trade pact.

French energy firm Areva said it hoped to profit from the nuclear pact by supplying India two reactors of the latest design.

A spokeswoman said Areva planned to ship two third-generation European Pressurised Reactors and a supply of nuclear fuel to India, which could lead to a bigger contract to supply a series of power plants.

The head of the Indian chamber of commerce had said on Saturday that his country’s nuclear market could be worth up to $29 billion to Areva and other French firms such as Alstom over the next 15 years.

Mr Sarkozy also said at the summit in Marseille that European Union and Indian leaders had decided to “accelerate talks” aimed at reaching a free trade deal. Mr Singh said he wanted the agreement signed by the end of 2009.

Mr Sarkozy said Mr Singh had shared his call for a global summit to establish “a new international financial system”.

A joint statement said the EU and India would work to reach an agreement on climate change by the end of 2009.

Regarding concerns over rights abuses in India, in particular about attacks by extremist Hindus against Christians, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said: “Mr Singh’s comments has clearly condemned these attacks.”—AFP