Russia to supply India with nuclear reactors

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Russia to supply India with nuclear reactors

Russia became the latest country to strike a civil nuclear deal with energy-hungry India on Monday when it agreed to supply reactors to Asia’s third largest economy.

International power companies from Russia, France, the UK, the US and Canada are flocking to India seeking opportunities to help one of the world’s fastest-growing economies meet its energy demands. The contribution of nuclear energy in India is forecast to rise from 4,000MW to as much as 470,000MW over the next 40 years.

The Russian deal follows a civil nuclear agreement with the US at the end of last year that helped clear the way for India to buy atomic power plants, technology and fuel from the nuclear club of nations.

India, officially a nuclear weapons power since 1998, had been denied access to civilian nuclear technology for more than 30 years since its test of a nuclear device in 1974 and its refusal to sign the 1968 non-proliferation treaty.

Manmohan Singh, India’s prime minister, told reporters at the Kremlin after talks with Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s prime minister:

“Today, we have signed an agreement which broadens the reach of our co-operation beyond the supply of nuclear reactors to areas of research and development and a whole range of areas of nuclear energy.” The two leaders also struck defence accords including a partnership to produce a multipurpose transport aircraft.

FT.com / India / Politics & Society - Russia to supply India with nuclear reactors
 
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