India and Russia have signed a civilian nuclear deal to allow Russia to build four nuclear reactors in India.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed the deal in New Delhi on Friday during a meeting. It is one of 10 agreements that also include the sale of 80 military helicopters and cooperation on space-related endeavors.

Singh highly praised the nuclear cooperation deal with Russia.

"The signing of the agreement on civil nuclear cooperation with Russia marks a new milestone in the history of our cooperation with Russia in the field of nuclear energy."

The deal follows the conclusion of a landmark nuclear agreement between the United States and India earlier this year, which opened the way for nuclear trade between India and other nations.

India had been subject to a ban on nuclear trade since its first atomic test in 1974, when it refused to sign international treaties designed to limit the illicit spread of such materials.

The Indo-Russian deal to build four reactors in southern India had been agreed on this January, but it could not be ratified until the international Nuclear Suppliers' Group agreed to lift the atomic ban.