India will begin negotiations with the UN nuclear watchdog agency on opening its civilian nuclear facilities to international inspections, a news report said on Friday.
The chairman of India's Atomic Energy Commission, Anil Kakodkar, is to travel to Vienna next week to meet with the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammed El-Baradei and will start negotiations.
The inspections are part of a civilian nuclear deal New Delhi signed with the United States last July.
The agreement with the United States requires India to separate its civilian nuclear plants from those used for the military and open the former to international inspections.
In return, Washington would lift curbs on the supply of nuclear fuel and technologies to India and press other countries to do the same.
The curbs apply to India, because it has not signed the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.
The deal, however, is subject to approval by the US Congress, where it faces opposition.
Indian government officials could not be immediately reached for comments.