The "Science and Technology Umbrella Agreement" is scheduled for signing with India's minister of state for science and technology Kapil Sibal at the State Department on Monday, the Indian embassy said in a statement.

"This new agreement is expected to accelerate cooperation between Indian and US scientists working in government agencies, private sector and academia," it said.

The areas for collaboration covered basic sciences, space, energy, nanotechnology, health and information technology, it said.

The agreement, the embassy said, would also complement the activities of the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum, established in 2000.

Relations between the two countries have blossomed in recent years, climaxing with an accord signed by President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in July, in which Washington agreed to lift a ban on civilian nuclear technology sale to nuclear armed India.

The United States had placed sanctions on India after its second round of nuclear tests in May 1998, but agreed after the September 11, 2001 attacks to waive those and other sanctions in return for support in the war on terrorism.

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