New Delhi, Feb 19 (IANS): India and Britain have decided to commence negotiations on a bilateral civil nuclear agreement, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Tuesday.

Speaking to media after meeting the visiting British premier, rime Minister Manmohan Singh said: "I thanked Prime Minister (David) Cameron for the UK's support for India's full membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and other multilateral export control regimes."

"We have also decided to commence negotiations on a bilateral civil nuclear agreement," said Singh.

Cameron is in India on a three-day official visit.

The two leaders also discussed the prospects of enhanced cooperation in the development of the defence industrial base of India through greater emphasis on technology transfer, co-development and co-production.

"I have sought his (Cameron) support in ensuring an early conclusion of a fair, balanced and forward looking broad-based India-EU trade and investment agreement, which will open new opportunities for trade and investment between our two countries," said Manmohan Singh.

"Education and science and technology are special areas of India-UK cooperation. I have impressed upon the prime minister (Cameron), the need for a visa regime that facilitates greater movement of people between our two countries so that this cooperation can be further energized," he said.