In a significant step towards bilateral cooperation in fighting terrorism, India and France on Friday signed an extradition treaty that takes care of the European nation's sensitivity on death sentences.

The treaty was signed by Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani and French Justice Minister Dominique Perben at the Justice Ministry in Paris.

Both hailed the bilateral agreement as a step forward in enhancing mutual cooperation in matters of justice and crime.

Replying to a question by reporters, Advani said that India had encountered a problem in getting a wanted criminal extradited from Portugal, a reference to underworld don Abu Salem.

He said he had his government's authority to give an undertaking that criminals wanted in India would not be awarded death sentence upon extradition.

"That approach would remain in case of France also," he said.

France has become the third European country to sign an extradition treaty with India after Britain and Spain.