The Hindu : Front Page : Saran: India finalising sites for U.S.-origin nuclear reactors

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Thursday, Mar 26, 2009
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Saran: India finalising sites for U.S.-origin nuclear reactors

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Union Government is finalising locations for $150-billion U.S. nuclear power reactors promised to Washington during negotiations for ending India’s isolation from global nuclear commerce, Prime Minister’s Special Envoy Shyam Saran said in Washington on Monday.

Speaking at the Brookings Institution, Mr. Saran said fewer American restrictions on transfer of cutting-edge technology would result in U.S. companies bagging a chunk of Indian defence hardware purchases over the next decade.

Mr. Saran declared himself favourable to the idea of India signing the Fissile Missile Cut-Off Treaty as well as joining the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative, which has been criticised as infringing international laws of the sea. However, he indicated that differences over the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty would remain until it was linked to the goal of nuclear disarmament.

Referring to the Indian promise on 10,000-MWe U.S. nuclear power reactors, the former Foreign Secretary did not anticipate any opposition from the State governments to the setting up of nuclear plants. For, “this is a privilege most States aspire to.” The government completed its internal discussions on the international nuclear liability convention, which the U.S. nuclear companies have been insisting on India signing as a precursor to their entry into the country.

With the general elections having been announced and fresh decision-making having stopped with the model code of conduct in force, he counselled the U.S. companies to utilise the interregnum by preparing the ground to enter into partnerships with Indian companies.

Mr. Saran reiterated India’s right to reprocess U.S.-origin spent fuel, and indicated that the Obama administration was ready to engage with India at an early date.

He referred to the “lingering Indian doubts about the reliability of the U.S. supplies” and called upon Washington to dispel them. Simultaneously both sides needed to work together to find a mutually acceptable solution, which would take care of the U.S. legal requirements of end-use monitoring of transferred defence articles and also meet Indian sensitivities.

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