NEW DELHI, March 2: India will place 14 of 22 nuclear power reactors under international safeguards, an Indian official who provided details of the landmark deal with the United States told reporters on Thursday.
— India currently has 15 nuclear power reactors that produce 3,310 megawatts of electricity and seven others under construction that would increase output to 6,730 megawatts.
— Six of the fourteen slated for civilian designation, including two under construction, are already under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.
— The rest will be deemed civilian under a phased program to be completed by 2014.
— The other power reactors will be classified as part of India’s military program.
— The official said Washington was “pleased” with India’s separation plan dividing its nuclear installations into civil and military facilities under a July 2005 deal with the United States.
— The deal places a “credible” number of the power plants, some of which have a dual use in its weapons programme, under IAEA safeguards in exchange for being allowed to buy civilian nuclear technology which has been denied by the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers group since 1974 when India first tested nuclear weapons.
— Washington also accepted India’s position that New Delhi would not place an experimental plutonium-based fast breeder power reactor programme under outside inspection. Plutonium can be also used to make nuclear weapons.
— The “last mile” in the talks consisted of negotiations on the fate of future Indian reactors and uninterrupted supply of nuclear fuel for those facilities deemed civilian.
— India said it would be soley at New Delhi’s discretion to deem future reactors civil or military, a proposal Washington accepted.
— New Delhi also said it had no problems with accepting international inspections of its civilian nuclear facilities in “perpetuity” if India was assured permanent nuclear fuel supplies; this was conceded by the US.
— It was also agreed that if one country stops supply of nuclear fuel, India will be able to access fuel from another country.
— At no point was India’s strategic nuclear programme discussed.
— The IAEA safeguards New Delhi’s civilian facilities will be India-specific. —AFP
