An agreement on the setting up of Unit three and four of the Russian-assisted Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project in Tamil Nadu is likely to be signed in the "near future", India said today, indicating the possibility during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Moscow next week.

Briefing the media on the upcoming five-day visit of the prime minister to Russia and China starting Sunday, Foreign Secretary Sujatha Rao refused to go into details of any agreement or answer questions regarding the issue of nuclear liability for suppliers of equipment like reactors.

"We hope to conclude specific contracts in the near future. Near future means, near future. Let's see. The companies are discussing issues--technical, legal and financial," she said in reply to a question whether a deal on setting up of two fresh reactors in the project would be signed during the visit and whether Russia's concerns on nuclear liability issues have been resolved.