India signs N-Deal with Russia

Russia became the third country after the US and France to sign a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with India since this country acquired the waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). The agreement was signed in the presence of President Dmitry Medvedev and PM Manmohan Singh. In the initial stages, Russia will help India build two additional nuclear power plants at Kundakulum. Even before the NSG waiver, Russia was helping India build two 1,000 MW nuclear power plants at the same site. The Russians, however, had to wait for the NSG waiver to India for a more focused nuclear cooperation. More such power plants of Russian design, according to the two sides, will come up at other places in the country. The location for at least two more nuclear power plants is being finalised. The modalities of the agreement had been thrashed out in November 2007 during Singh’s visit to Moscow but India refrained from signing it, citing the need for a clearance from the NSG. “The signing of the agreement on civil nuclear cooperation with Russia marks a new milestone in the history of our cooperation with Russia in the field of nuclear energy,’’ Manmohan Singh said. The two sides also signed agreements in defence, space, trade and commerce. The terror attack in Mumbai was also discussed by the two leaders and both sides denounced it. The Russian Federal Space Agency and Isro has aslo signed a pact on human spaceflight programme.