A senior Indian official has said climate change can be a catalyst for increased Sino-Indian cooperation.

As fast growing developing economies, India and China should achieve prosperity in an environmentally friendly manner, Indian Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh told Xinhua in an exclusive interview conducted in Beijing Sunday.

Ramesh met with senior Chinese officials on climate change cooperation during his stay in Beijing from May 7 to 9.

A high-level Indian delegation visited China in April to explore how the two countries can work together in forestry.

"We have a strong interest in having a partnership in the field of environmental protection and I would like clean energy to also to be an area of bilateral focus," he said.

China and India signed a Memorandum of Agreement on cooperation in dealing with climate change in October last year in New Delhi.

Ramesh attended the International Cooperative Conference on Green Economy and Climate Change in Beijing Saturday. Conference participants included top leaders, environment officials, and entrepreneurs from China, Brazil, India, Mexico and South Africa.

Ramesh said the conference aimed to highlight what China has been doing in the areas of research and development, application of green technology -- solar, wind, and nuclear energy.

Chinese leaders' stress on research and development of green technology is evidenced by China's huge input of human and materials resources in the sector, Ramesh said.

"I am tremendously impressed by what China has accomplished," he said, adding that he believes China will soon emerge as a world leader in research and development, as well as application of green technology, and supply it to the rest of the world.

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