New Delhi, June 11 -- India's new law to overhaul the nuclear energy sector has opened the door for France's state-run multinational EDF to engage with private Indian players to explore the setting up of nuclear power plants, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to France.

Cooperation in defence, civil nuclear energy, technology and critical materials and coping with the economic and geopolitical fallout of the West Asia conflict are set to top the agenda for Modi's visit to France beginning on June 13 to attend the outreach sessions of the G7 Summit and to hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.

While India and France have engaged in discussions on cooperatio...