India, US discuss ways to implement deal

New Delhi, December 17

Indian and American experts today held detailed discussions on a range of implementation issues, including administrative, liability, technical and licensing matters to advance the operationalisation of the Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation that has been in limbo for past nine years.

Pursuant to the joint decision by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama during Modi's visit to the US in September, the first meeting of the India-US Contact Group, comprising relevant experts from both sides, on civil nuclear cooperation took place here, External Affairs Ministry said.

"As mandated by the two leaders, the group held detailed discussions on a range of implementation issues, including administrative issues, liability, technical issues and licensing to facilitate the establishment of the US-designed nuclear power plants in India. The discussions were positive and forward-looking and included representatives of nuclear industries from both sides - the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) from the Indian side and Westinghouse and GE-Hitachi from the US side," the ministry said.

From the Indian side, the inter-agency Contact Group had representatives from Department of Atomic Energy, Ministry of External Affairs and Finance Ministry.

During their two-day meeting, the group agreed to reconvene in early January 2015 to take the discussions forward. Significantly, the meetings come ahead of Obama's visit to India in January when he will attend the Republic Day parade as the Chief Guest.  — PTI