With Barack Obama re-elected the President of the US, the Indian nuclear industry and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) officials hope the continuity in the administration would boost nuclear cooperation between the two countries.
Nuclear Power Corp of India Ltd (NPCIL) is already in talks with US companies such as GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Westinghouse Electric Co for the supply of nuclear reactors for India’s ongoing nuclear capacity addition programme. The status quo in Washington will boost these talks as well, say industry officials.
GE-Hitachi, a joint venture between General Electric Co and Japan's Hitachi Ltd, is in preliminary talks with NPCIL for the initial supply of two reactors of 1,500 Megawatts (Mw) and subsequently for four more for the proposed nuclear project in Andhra Pradesh. On the other hand, Westinghouse has initiated talks with NPCIL for the initial supply of two reactors of 1,100 Mw and later four more for the a plant in Gujarat.
However, industry players are of the view that India's civil nuclear liability regime would continue to be a matter of concern as suppliers from India and abroad have raised serious objections against various provisions.
"With Obama's re-election, the political continuity will be there. As far as negotiations between NPCIL and US companies are concerned, they are one-to-one and DAE is not directly involved. However, inter-governmental agreements between the US and India are in place," S K Malhotra, a spokesperson for DAE, told Business Standard.
According to M V Kotwal, president, heavy engineering, Larsen and Toubro, Obama's re-election would ensure continuity in the efforts being put in by American and Indian governments in enabling implementation of the civil nuclear agreement and in sorting out matters related to export of technology from the US.
"As far as the issue of civil nuclear liability is concerned, I hope some way forward is worked out soon since it affects participation in projects by industries both within and outside India," he added.
G R Srinivasan, former vice-chairman, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, said that with Obama's re-election, the civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries would continue.
"As far as India's civil nuclear liability is concerned, there is a need for a political consensus. A balance can be struck whereby industry is protected and also the interest of victims are taken care of," noted Srinivasan, who is adviser to GMR Energy on nuclear business.
