India to seek 4 more Atomic reactors

NEW DELHI—India has evinced keen interest in acquiring four nuclear reactors for Koodankulam atomic power plant in addition to two reactors set up by the Russians. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Russia in the first week of December, with defence and nuclear cooperation high on the agenda, said a news report carried by Indian Daily “The Asian Age”.
Both countries are looking at the supply of four additional nuclear reactors for the Koodankulam atomic power plant, with Moscow supportive of the India-US civilian nuclear energy pact as a way towards clearance by the Nuclear Suppliers Group for the sale of nuclear reactors to India. The Russians had made it clear to the Indian government that they were powerless to proceed on this front, and that it was essential for New Delhi to tackle the United States and ensure NSG approval for removing restrictions that had been imposed on India after the Pokhran nuclear tests, highly-placed sources were quoted as saying.
It is now proposed that two of the nuclear reactors (of 1,000 MW each) will be constructed by Russia, and the other two by India, which has acquired the technology to do so, if and when the NSG lifts its objections. It is apparent that both Russia and France in this group will strongly back India when the matter comes up for discussion, the report claimed adding, the supply of nuclear fuel will also be cleared once the NSG overrules its own objections.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had personally taken up this matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin at their last meeting but had been told that it was impossible as Russia was a NSG member and bound by its rules. The Russians are in fact keen to point out that they are not opposed to the India-US civilian nuclear agreement and that discussions between the two on this issue had been encouraged by Moscow.
Russia will be looking to upgrade its 1996 defence pact with India and is optimistic that a new large-scale forward-looking agreement would emerge from the Prime Minister’s visit, and take final shape by next year.
The joint military and naval exercises between the two countries this month could become an annual event, with Moscow certainly keen to give this form of cooperation a fairly permanent shape.
Russia had been the primary source of defence supplies for India, and there is some worry that the government’s policy of diversification could impact adversely on this favoured status, the report maintained.—Agencies