Paris  - France and India have signed an agreement on bilateral cooperation in the development of nuclear energy, according to a joint statement released after a meeting in Paris Tuesday between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The agreement "constitutes the basis of an increased bilateral cooperation in the domain of energy and research," the statement said.

Although no details were provided, French media reported last week that such an agreement could eventually lead to contracts worth some 20 billion euros (28 billion dollars) to French firms for the construction of nuclear power stations in India.

Paris, Sept. 30 : India’s re-entry into the global nuclear trade market after 34 years was achieved today with the historical signing of a bilateral agreement for civil nuclear cooperation with France.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and the chief of the Department of Atomic Energy signed the agreement in the French President’s office in the Champs Elysee here in the presence of President Nicholas Sarkozy and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Paris  - As the two largest developing nations, India and China should take part in helping resolve the current finance crisis, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in remarks published Tuesday in the French daily Le Figaro.

"The prime responsibility (for resolving the crisis) is that of the developed nations. But India and China should take part in the solution," Singh said.

The Indian prime minister, who was to meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy later on Tuesday, said that India may take part in the international summit on the finance crisis proposed by Sarkozy.

Paris, Sept. 30 : Ending 34 years of nuclear trade isolation, India and France today finalized a landmark agreement on civil nuclear cooperation, covering the supply of reactors and atomic fuel.

The agreement is to be initialled this afternoon after summit talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Paris, Sept. 30 : India and France today signed a long term agreement for the Utilization of the Indian Polar Satellite launch vehicle for launching satellites.

The agreement was signed ahead of talks between Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and French President Nicholas Sarkozy here.

The Chairman of Antrix Corporation, the commercial arm of the Indian Space research Organisation (ISRO) Dr. G Madhvan Nair and the CEO of Astrium, the French space organization, François Auque signed the pact.

The two companies have been already cooperating in the field of space activities.

Brussels/Paris - The bosses of Dexia stepped down on Tuesday after the struggling Franco-Belgian bank became the latest victim of the global credit crunch and was bailed out by three European governments.

Belgian media reports said Axel Miller, a Belgian who acts as its chief executive officer, and Pierre Richard, a Frenchman who chairs the board of directors, both tendered their resignation in the wake of the 6.4-billion-euro (9.2-billion-dollar) capital injection.

The company issued a statement confirming that the governments of Belgium, France and Luxembourg had agreed to support the bank.

"All the necessary measures will be taken to preserve the interests of Dexia's depositors," Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme said.