India submits nuclear instrument of ratification

In a significant development in terms of its nuclear liability, India on Thursday submitted the Instrument of Ratification of the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage, 1997, to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna.

"Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India Rajiva Misra handed over the Instrument of Ratification to Acting Director General of IAEA, Juan Carlos Lentijo," the external affairs ministry said in a statement.

"The convention will come into force for India 90 days from the date of deposit of the ratification instrument, i.e. May 4, 2016," it added.

The submission of the instrument of ratification is the conclusive step in the addressing of issues related to civil nuclear liability in India, marked earlier by the release of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on civil nuclear liability in February 2015 and the launch of the India Nuclear Insurance Pool (INIP) in June 2015, the statement said.