India, Brazil and South Africa have agreed to explore approaches to cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy under appropriate safeguards, according to a joint communique issued here at the end of the day-long trilateral meeting Tuesday.

The communique said the three sides were in favor of "unimpeded growth and development of peaceful uses of atomic energy, through the supply of technology, equipment and material, under appropriate safeguards, and reaffirmed their will to intensify such cooperation."

The Foreign Ministers of the three countries "reiterated the importance of ensuring that any multilateral decisions related to the nuclear fuel cycle do not undermine the inalienable right of States to pursue nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in conformity with their international legal obligations," said the joint communique.

The three countries emphasized the need to ensure the supply of safe, sustainable and non-polluting sources of energy to meet the rising global demand for energy, particularly in developing countries.

"In this context, the ministers agreed that nuclear energy could play an important role," said the communique, issued after the meeting of Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim and South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

In this meeting, the three sides also discussed issues related to climate change, terrorism, international trade, and among others.