The announcement comes days after the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which controls the export and sale of nuclear technology worldwide, amended its rules to allow India to buy equipment and expertise to fuel its booming economy.

New Delhi is also in talks with US companies, foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said.

"Following the NSG statement which enables civil nuclear cooperation by NSG members with India, the government is taking steps to realise commercial cooperation with foreign partners," Sarna said.

New Delhi is moving towards bilateral agreements with "friendly partner countries such as France and Russia," he said.

The agreements with both Russia and France are ready for signing, officials have said.

The NSG approval followed the United States leaning on several countries opposed to the India-specific amendment in Vienna last weekend.

It was a pact agreed with the United States in 2006 that opened the possibility of India buying nuclear plants and related technology.

The pact with the US offers India an end to its three-decades old nuclear pariah status, as long as New Delhi allows UN nuclear inspections of some of its nuclear facilities.

Despite the NSG go-ahead, New Delhi and Washington are awaiting approval of their bilateral pact that the White House sent to the Congress on Thursday.

"While actual cooperation will commence after bilateral agreements like the (India-US) agreement come into force, the Nuclear Power Cooperation of India has already commenced preliminary dialogue with US companies," the foreign ministry spokesman added.

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