India seeks international assistance in N-energy

India on Tuesday sought international cooperation in the field of civilian nuclear energy, a day after New Delhi secured a 'new pledge' from Beijing to cooperate in the area of atomic power.

"We can do much more to jointly develop clean and energy efficient technologies through collaborative research and development. India seeks international cooperation in the field of civilian nuclear energy, including with China," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in a speech to Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the premier think-tank of China, in Beijing.

The prime minister said the rapid growth of India and China would lead to expanding demand for energy.

"We have no choice but to widen our options for energy availability and develop viable strategies for energy security," he said.

Dr Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao signed a document -- A Shared Vision for the 21st Century -- after their talks on Monday, in which the two countries agreed to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector.

"As two countries with advanced scientific capabilities, the two sides pledge to promote bilateral cooperation in civil nuclear energy, consistent with their respective international commitments, which will contribute to energy security and to dealing with risks associated with climate change," the document said.

Commenting on the Sino-Indian nuclear cooperation, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told media persons on Monday that 'there was a new pledge to cooperation with India on civil nuclear energy. This constituted a will of both the countries to cooperate in energy area.'