Committed to Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project: India to France

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, who held bilateral talks with his French counterpart Laurent Fabius here, said both sides are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safety in the project.

"Our government remains committed to the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project. Both sides are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safety in the project," Khurshid said at a joint press conference.

The remarks of Khurshid, who is here on an official visit, came at a time when protests are going on back in India against the 2,000-MW Kudankulam project in Tamil Nadu over safety concerns.

Protests have also been organised against the Jaitapur project in Maharashtra.

Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project is a proposed 9900 MW power project of Nuclear Power Corporation of India.

During the December 2010 visit of the French President Nicholas Sarkozy to India, framework agreements were signed for the setting up two third-generation EPR reactors of 1650 MW each at Jaitapur by the French company Areva.

The deal caters for the first set of two of six planned reactors and the supply of nuclear fuel for 25 years.

Khurshid's visit is the first visit by an Indian External Affairs Minister to this country in a decade.

Khurshid said he held a "comprehensive and fruitful" discussions with Fabius.

"We reviewed our cooperation in defence, space and civil nuclear energy and counter terrorism, which are important pillars of our bilateral relations," he said. MORE