Russia on Thursday signed an agreement with India for construction of 4 more nuclear reactors in Kudankulam project in Tamil Nadu.

The Memorandum of Understanding on the nuclear issue was part of the nine agreements and MoUs arrived at between the two countries after talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Vladimir Putin.

While it was widely expected that Russia would offer help in construction of more reactors in Kudankulam, it is significant that an agreement has been reached on setting up reactors at new sites.

One of the agreements related to cooperation in Global Navigation and Satellite System.

The two leaders also adopted a joint statement on cooperation in the field of peaceful use of atomic energy.

Announcing this, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told a joint press conference with visiting President Vladimir Putin that they have signed a joint statement on cooperation in the field of atomic energy.

"We appreciate Russia's support in lifting international restrictions on nuclear cooperation and assisting India in expansion of our nuclear energy programme," he said.

Singh said nuclear energy security was emerging as the most important aspect of "our strategic partnership and we look forward to longtime partnership with Russia in this vital field."

He described as a "...significant development" cooperation in development of the fifth generation fighter aircraft and multi-role transport plane between the two countries. In his remarks, Putin said the two countries would continue cooperation in the area of peaceful use of atomic energy.

Putin said, "We consider extremely important the completion of the construction project in Kudankulam." On defence cooperation, Singh said that he had comprehensive discussions with Putin on joint research and development, manufacturing and marketing and joint exercises.

The prime minister said discussions with Putin were extremely useful and productive and confirmed once again "our strategic partnership is based on deep convergence of vital national interests."

Though there has been a sea change in the international situation in the last few years, he said Russia remained indispensable to the core of India's foreign policy engagement. "We seek a comprehensive reengagement that would impart a new momentum and carry forward bilateral relationship to new heights," Singh said.

The prime minister said he and Putin agreed that economic relations between the two countries were not consistent with the dimensions of strategic ties. The two sides, he said, have agreed to work on expanding economic cooperation.

The Joint Study Group was now exploring the possibility for charting out a comprehensive economic cooperation, he said. Singh said the two countries also decided to boost cooperation in the fields of science, space, information and communication.