NEW DELHI, June 15 (Xinhua) -- India will shortly sign and ratify a key United Nations (UN) convention on protecting nuclear material, an Indian Government press release said here Friday.

    The United States had insisted that India sign the proposal as part of the India-U.S. nuclear deal.

    The Indian Cabinet approved India's accession to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and an amendment to the Indian Extradition Act making unauthorized trade in nuclear material an international offense.

    A government press release said that "Becoming a party to the convention would strengthen the international legal framework to combat terrorism and also enhance international cooperation in investigation, prosecution and extradition of those who commit terrorist acts and acts of sabotage involving radioactive material or nuclear devices and facilities."

    The U.S. had made the signing of the convention mandatory for India to get nuclear material under the India-U.S. civil nuclear energy pact.

    The amended CPPNM will make it legally binding for countries to protect their nuclear facilities and material in peaceful domestic use, storage as well as transport.