Sopporo, July 9 : The Group of eight nations supported India over the Indo-US nuclear deal and said in a statement released at the end of the G-8 summit here that they decided to help India meet its growing energy needs.

The statement said that G-8 nations look forward to working with India, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Nuclear Suppliers Group and other partners to advance India''s non-proliferation commitments and progress so as to facilitate a more robust approach to civil nuclear cooperation with India to help it meet its growing energy needs in a manner that enhances and reinforces the global non-proliferation regime.

The statement came hours after US President George W Bush met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on the sidelines of the G8 summit.

Leaders of 17 major countries who met on the sidelines of the G8 meeting adopted a declaration which said: “We will promote the uptake and use of such technologies, including renewables, cleaner and low-carbon technologies and for those of us interested, nuclear power.”

Leaders of the European Union, France, Italy, South Korea, Russia, Indonesia, South Africa and Mexico also attended the meeting on ''Energy Security and Climate Change''.

The G8 is made up of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States. (ANI)