New Delhi, Feb 6 (IANS): For collaboration on modern and contemporary art, the union culture ministry Thursday signed an agreement with Tate, an institution that houses Britain's national art collection.

The agreement was signed by the ministry's joint secretary Pramod Jain and Judith Nesbitt, Tate's head of international partnerships.

The two parties agreed to cooperate on institution to institution basis in areas of common interest, including exhibitions, scholarly research, fellowships, collection care, learning programmes and loans, an official statement said.

There will be a commitment to collaborative exchange between museums in both India and Britain across all areas.

"This agreement is part of a series of international collaborations undertaken by the culture ministry which would strengthen the museum sector in the country and lead to a cross pollination of ideas," said ministry secretary Ravindra Singh.

Building on previous collaborations, the agreement provides for a framework for future projects to develop mutual understanding of British and Indian art.

"This agreement will support the reciprocal exchange of ideas and knowledge in the field of modern and contemporary art in India and Britain, allowing deeper engagement with art for audiences in both nations," said Tate director Nicholas Serota.

Tate houses the national collection of British art from 1500 AD to the present day and has over 70,000 artworks of international and national art. Its sites include Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives.