India to focus on time-bound projects with Russia, France & US

With the historic signing of 123 agreement with the US, India now will focus on time bound projects with that country as well as France and Russia under the technical cooperation for the expansion of its nuclear power.        

The signing of 123 agreement with the US is an enabling step to move forward in the expansion of nuclear power in the country. But India along with these three countries has to carry out a lot of diplomatic and technical procedures concurrently to operationalise the agreements, Chairman, Atomic Energy commission, Dr Anil Kakodkar, who returned from US last night, told PTI.        

Several steps, including ratification of these agreements, commercial negotiations and IAEA safeguards, have to be carried out, he said.        

India will first put Tarapur units 1 and 2, Rajasthan units 1 and 2 and Koodankulam units 1 and 2 that are already under separate safeguards agreement with IAEA under the single umbrella of India specific safeguards agreement, Kakodkar said.         

"Of course, before placing the Indian reactors under IAEA safeguards as per the separation plan, it is  important to kick-start the nuclear cooperation and that is very crucial," he said.         

Meanwhile, the American and the French companies are expected to begin their serious discussions shortly with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), a government of India undertaking that deals with nuclear power.