India today signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with South Korea, paving the way for Seoul to export atomic power plants to the booming Asian giant.
The pact, signed after summit talks between President Pratibha Patil and her South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-bak provides legal ground for South Korea's participation in India's atomic power plant construction projects.
South Korea has now become the ninth country which had signed nuclear agreement with India after it got the waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) in 2008.
The others are the US, France, Russia, Canada, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Argentina and Namibia.
South Korea operates 20 nuclear plants that generate some 35% of its electricity needs, and is keen to export its technology to fast developing countries like India.
"The two countries have just concluded and signed a bilateral agreement on cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy," said Sanjay Singh, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs.
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"It is like other civil nuclear agreements signed between India and other countries. We look forward to Republic of Korea for becoming one more partner in the development of civil nuclear energy in India," the official said without divulging further details on the agreement and its mandate but termed the deal as a "win-win" for both the nations.
South Korean presidential spokesman Park Jeong-ha said he anticipates that the two countries could launch negotiations on a reactor construction project in the future.