India confident of inking civilian nuclear deal with Japan: PM

India is confident of signing a 'win-win' civilian nuclear deal with Japan and is looking forward to a comprehensive economic partnership agreement to boost bilateral trade, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said.

"I am confident that we will be able to conclude an agreement [on nuclear trade], which will be a win-win proposition for both of us," Singh said shortly ahead of his two-day visit to Japan beginning today.

"We have not laid down any deadline for concluding these negotiations," the prime minister said.

Asserting that India has an 'impeccable' record on non-proliferation, Singh told the Japanese media that India was committed to maintaining a 'unilateral and voluntary' moratorium on explosive nuclear testing and had 'no intention' of revising that commitment.

"We are ready to work with Japan and other like-minded countries in realising the vision of a nuclear weapon-free world," Singh was quoted as saying by Kyodo news agency.

There is reluctance in Japan, the only country to have witnessed an atomic attack, to proceed with the civilian nuclear deal with India because New Delhi is not part of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

So far, the two countries have held two rounds of negotiations on the issue.

Singh, who will meet his Japanese counterpart Naoto Kan and other top leaders here, said India would like Japan to be its partner in nuclear energy in view of the advanced capabilities of Japanese firms and the important role they play in the global nuclear supply chain.

The prime minister will hold talks with Kan on a range of issues, including civil nuclear energy cooperation, security cooperation, and ways to enhance economic ties, besides the joint infrastructure projects being carried out in India.

During his visit, an announcement will be made on the conclusion of negotiations on Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

Singh said CEPA would open up the fast-expanding Indian market to Japanese firms and facilitate the flow of Japanese investment in India's growing infrastructure.

He also said he saw an 'enormous' possibility for India, Japan and China to work together for the prosperity of Asia.

Asked to comment on the maritime dispute between Japan and China in the East China Sea, Singh said interstate relations must be based on the five principles of peaceful coexistence.

"In this context, we also approach our relations with China, with whom we have established a strategic and cooperative partnership," Singh said.

Outlining fields of cooperation, Singh said India and Japan can cooperate in areas of civilian nuclear energy, clean coal technology, renewable energy resources and infrastructure, among others, as the 'two friendly nations' have multi-faceted relations.