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.

India, Russia to sign N-deal in December

Russia lauded India's "impeccable" non-proliferation credentials, setting the stage for the two countries to sign a civil nuclear pact during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to New Delhi in December.External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov held talks ahead of the first official visit of Medvedev to India.The two ministers also laid the necessary groundwork for the signing of the nuclear pact that envisages Russia building four more atomic reactors in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
The pact, agreed on during a visit by former Russian president Vladimir Putin in January 2007 and initialled early this year, will follow similar pacts signed with the US and France.
It will be the third bilateral nuclear pact India will ink after the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group lifted a global atomic embargo against New Delhi Sep 6. Medvedev will come on his first official visit to India Dec 3-5, official sources said. "We are making all efforts to make the Russian president's visit a successful and landmark visit. The India-Russia strategic partnership is an important factor for stability not only in the region but in the world," Mukherjee said at a joint press conference with Lavrov.Mukherjee conveyed India's appreciation for Russia's support in the NSG and discussed the prospects of civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries.
"India has an impeccable record in non-proliferation. That's why we supported India in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and in the NSG," Lavrov said."India is a very responsible player in the international arena. India is very powerful in economic terms and has political clout," Lavrov said while reaffirming Russia's support for India as "a strong and natural candidate for the UN Security Council". Lavrov, who is here on a day-long visit, and Mukherjee held talks on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues, including the UN reforms, the global financial crisis, terrorism and civil nuclear cooperation. The two ministers also signed a protocol on holding regular consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries that seeks to expand the scope of diplomatic and strategic dialogue between them.