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New NSG norms make Russia wary of ENR transfer to India
Even as India continues to negotiate ENR transfer with Russia without any result, Russia is insisting that New Delhi and Moscow jointly set up a reprocessing plant on Russian soil.
Diplomatic sources told TOI that the proposal had been first made to India last year, but it has assumed more significance after the fresh Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) guidelines that seek to ban transfer of such technology to any non-NPT signatory.
"This proposal was there earlier too but the Russian side has now taken it up actively saying that the this way Russia can take care of both its international obligations and bilateral commitments in the civil nuclear deal with India. The plant will function in keeping with all international guidelines," said a source. He, however, clarified that the negotiations for a separate ENR transfer agreement will go on even though there is hardly any progress.
After signing the civil nuclear pact, India has been negotiating with Moscow for a separate agreement to facilitate transfer of ENR. The contentious new NSG guidelines, however, have come as a setback.
Even though Russian has officially maintained that the new guidelines will have no impact on these negotiations, they have also said that any commitment made to India will be in keeping with Russia's international obligations, internal laws and its bilateral agreement.
Russian officials had maintained until last year that Russia was looking at establishing a reprocessing plant in India, but the fresh emphasis on building it there suggests that Moscow is wary of NSG guidelines.
Earlier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself had said the nuclear deal with Russia is crucial because it goes beyond supply of reactors "to areas of research and development and a whole range of areas in nuclear energy". Along with the US and France, Russia is India's most significant nuclear partner.
New NSG norms make Russia wary of ENR transfer to India - The Times of India
Even as India continues to negotiate ENR transfer with Russia without any result, Russia is insisting that New Delhi and Moscow jointly set up a reprocessing plant on Russian soil.
Diplomatic sources told TOI that the proposal had been first made to India last year, but it has assumed more significance after the fresh Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) guidelines that seek to ban transfer of such technology to any non-NPT signatory.
"This proposal was there earlier too but the Russian side has now taken it up actively saying that the this way Russia can take care of both its international obligations and bilateral commitments in the civil nuclear deal with India. The plant will function in keeping with all international guidelines," said a source. He, however, clarified that the negotiations for a separate ENR transfer agreement will go on even though there is hardly any progress.
After signing the civil nuclear pact, India has been negotiating with Moscow for a separate agreement to facilitate transfer of ENR. The contentious new NSG guidelines, however, have come as a setback.
Even though Russian has officially maintained that the new guidelines will have no impact on these negotiations, they have also said that any commitment made to India will be in keeping with Russia's international obligations, internal laws and its bilateral agreement.
Russian officials had maintained until last year that Russia was looking at establishing a reprocessing plant in India, but the fresh emphasis on building it there suggests that Moscow is wary of NSG guidelines.
Earlier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself had said the nuclear deal with Russia is crucial because it goes beyond supply of reactors "to areas of research and development and a whole range of areas in nuclear energy". Along with the US and France, Russia is India's most significant nuclear partner.
New NSG norms make Russia wary of ENR transfer to India - The Times of India
