India and the United States have wrapped up the nuclear deal under which New Delhi has prepared a plan to separate nuclear facilities while the Bush administration will approach the Congress for a change of laws to endorse the agreement.
The finalising of the deal has been described as 'historic' by both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President George W Bush.
The clinching point came after nearly two hours of discussions between the two leaders, capping days of intense negotiations. According to Brajesh Mishra, the former National Security Adviser, US was reluctant till Wednesday night to guarantee uninterrupted supply of uranium to Indian nuclear reactors.
Under the deal New Delhi will now approach the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for working out 'India-specific' safeguards while President Bush will take this plan to the American Congress for approval.
In a nutshell, the deal means the following:
- All India civilian and nuclear plants will now be put under permanent international safeguards
- India's all future civilian - thermal and breeder reactors - too will be put under permanent international safeguards
- In return, US assures India of uninterrupted supply of nuclear fuel
- US will also help India achieve a multi-lateral regime to ensure uninterrupted supply of nuclear fuel
- There will be a council of advisers who will arbitrate in case of any disruptions
- The world market will be accesible to India for nuclear fuel once it joins the loop
- India won't be allowed to trade in military part of nuclear sphere
(Which means US has not recognised India as a nuclear state. It's just a de facto recognition.)
- India will be free to continue its nuclear programme - be it development of new reactors of military programme
- India has prepared a plan that demarcates 65 per cent of Indias nuclear facilities as 'civilian'
- At least 14 of India's 22 reactors will now come under international scanner
- All these facilities will be open to inspections by the IAEA
(This is a major concession since all of India's nuclear facilities have been closely guarded and no external inspection has been allowed for decades. For over three decades India has been kept out of the international trade in nuclear technology and nuclear fuel.)
- The deal will end India's nuclear isolation
- India will be able to source uranium from the international market.
(This is extremely imporrtant for india's nuclear peogramme since uranium is a cheaper fuel)
- This means costs of uranium will go down.
- Deal will open the door to nuclear power suppliers from Russia and France to set up plants in India
- The nuclear plants will be operated under safeguards
- These countries will take back the spent fuel
(In other words India will be able to more effectively use nuclear technology for power generation and replace costlier conventional sources.)
- It will also mean that India can get international nuclear technology for its reactors
CNN-IBN (www.ibnlive.com)
The finalising of the deal has been described as 'historic' by both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President George W Bush.
The clinching point came after nearly two hours of discussions between the two leaders, capping days of intense negotiations. According to Brajesh Mishra, the former National Security Adviser, US was reluctant till Wednesday night to guarantee uninterrupted supply of uranium to Indian nuclear reactors.
Under the deal New Delhi will now approach the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for working out 'India-specific' safeguards while President Bush will take this plan to the American Congress for approval.
In a nutshell, the deal means the following:
- All India civilian and nuclear plants will now be put under permanent international safeguards
- India's all future civilian - thermal and breeder reactors - too will be put under permanent international safeguards
- In return, US assures India of uninterrupted supply of nuclear fuel
- US will also help India achieve a multi-lateral regime to ensure uninterrupted supply of nuclear fuel
- There will be a council of advisers who will arbitrate in case of any disruptions
- The world market will be accesible to India for nuclear fuel once it joins the loop
- India won't be allowed to trade in military part of nuclear sphere
(Which means US has not recognised India as a nuclear state. It's just a de facto recognition.)
- India will be free to continue its nuclear programme - be it development of new reactors of military programme
- India has prepared a plan that demarcates 65 per cent of Indias nuclear facilities as 'civilian'
- At least 14 of India's 22 reactors will now come under international scanner
- All these facilities will be open to inspections by the IAEA
(This is a major concession since all of India's nuclear facilities have been closely guarded and no external inspection has been allowed for decades. For over three decades India has been kept out of the international trade in nuclear technology and nuclear fuel.)
- The deal will end India's nuclear isolation
- India will be able to source uranium from the international market.
(This is extremely imporrtant for india's nuclear peogramme since uranium is a cheaper fuel)
- This means costs of uranium will go down.
- Deal will open the door to nuclear power suppliers from Russia and France to set up plants in India
- The nuclear plants will be operated under safeguards
- These countries will take back the spent fuel
(In other words India will be able to more effectively use nuclear technology for power generation and replace costlier conventional sources.)
- It will also mean that India can get international nuclear technology for its reactors
CNN-IBN (www.ibnlive.com)