MUMBAI, March 10 (RIA Novosti) - India wants to expand civilian nuclear power cooperation with Russia and is planning to sign a document on joint nuclear research soon, a high-ranking Indian nuclear official said on Wednesday.

Srikumar Banerjee, secretary of India's Department of Atomic Energy, told RIA Novosti that the document on bilateral nuclear power cooperation, including joint efforts in the creation of fast neutron reactors, was expected to be signed during a working visit by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to India on Friday.

Banerjee said the two countries had prepared a memorandum of understanding in the sphere of civilian nuclear power engineering, which offered the possibility of joint nuclear research.

"Now we are discussing the R&D sector, where one of the areas is the fast reactors. There is as yet no decision on this count, but the discussions are continuing," he said.

India, with its rapidly growing economy, is seen is a lucrative market for civilian nuclear power energy in which both Russia and Western countries are seeking to gain foothold.

Russia is building the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in southern India, which is scheduled to be launched this year. The power plant is being built under a Russian design, using Russian technology and expertise, with Indian companies engaged in the construction and mounting work.

Banerjee said the Russian-Indian agreement on "the peaceful atom" initialed last December also opened broad possibilities for cooperation between the two countries, adding that the document had advantages over a similar agreement signed between Delhi and Washington.