Gas pipeline: India seeks Russia's help

India has also thanked Russia for its decision to supply 60 tonnes of uranium to the Tarapur nuclear power plant.

"Desperately short" of hydrocarbon resources, India on Friday sought expansion of civil nuclear cooperation with Russia and talked about the possibility of involving Moscow in the India-Iran gas pipeline project.

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India has also thanked Russia for its decision to supply urgently-needed 60 metric tonnes of uranium to the Tarapur Atomic Plant Station (TAPS).

After about two-hour long talks with his Russian counterpart Mikhail Fradkov, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said India envisioned a "substantial increase" in the share of nuclear energy in its overall energy mix and that he appreciated Moscow's decision to supply uranium to the Tarapur nuclear plant.

Addressing a joint press conference, Singh and Fradkov said the two countries had set up a Joint Study Group to enhance cooperation in trade and investment with an aim of raising the bilateral trade volume to US $10 billion by 2010.

They also agreed to soon conclude an agreement allowing investment of funds from the Rupee-Rouble debt account in India.

The two countries signed various agreements, including two related to implementation of cooperation in respect of the Global Satellite Navigation System (GLONASS).

"I am confident that both countries will utilise opportunities to expand our partnership in civil nuclear energy cooperation," Singh said.

"I would like to convey our warm appreciation to the Russian government for responding positively to meet the requirements for nuclear fuel supplies to Tarapur I and II," Singh said.