New Delhi - India and Argentina Wednesday signed an agreement on civilian nuclear energy cooperation and nine pacts in areas such as trade and science and technology, aiming to establish a strategic partnership, news reports and officials said.

The accords were signed after wide-ranging talks between visiting Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.

The agreement for cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy was signed by Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Talana and Vivek Katju, secretary (West)of the Ministry of External Affairs, the PTI news agency reported.

India has signed a civil nuclear agreements with seven countries up to now, after the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group last year lifted a 34-year-old ban on the South Asian country.

New Delhi has already signed similar pacts with the United States, France, Russia, Kazakhstan, Namibia and Mongolia.

A joint statement issued after the talks said India and Argentina will make use of the synergies between the two countries and the vast experience of their nuclear scientists and technologists.

India and Argentina also signed pacts on business visas, cooperation in science and technology and outer space. Accords were also signed regarding the hydrocarbon sector, sports and geological research.

The two sides reiterated their resolve to expand bilateral dialogue and cooperation comprehensively, the statement mentioned.

They also vowed to more than double trade volumes to 3 billion dollars by 2012. India is Argentina's second most important trade partner in Asia after China.

Kirchner arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday for a three-day visit and on Wednesday held talks with Vice President Hamid Ansari and Foreign Minister SM Krishna.

The Argentine leader is to visit the Taj Mahal city of Agra and the country's financial capital of Mumbai where she scheduled meet industrialists and businessmen before concluding her India tour. (dpa)