india-Russia nuclear deal problems

India -Russia nuclear deal

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev heads to India for annual summit, Russia said  its willing to build 14-16 nuclear reactors in India but Delhi needed to get its nuclear liability law sought.

Briefing  reports on the eve of Medvedev official visit, Russian envoy Alexander Kadakin said Kudunkulam’s first nuclear reactor be commissioned   by January. That would be 22 years  after agreement was signed between  former  Prime Minster Raj-iv  Gandhi and then Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev.

Kadakin was more yielding on the liability law. Russia was expecting explanations from Indian side on nuclear liability issue he said. The current set of reactors being built on the basis of commercial contracts with India. But  was unclear he said, whether next set of reactors would be in accordance with Indian law passed in September. While insisting that there should not any impediment Kadakin said.

‘There is difference between international convention and India law. “ It is first time a nuclear supplier country has highlighted the difference in Indian law and convention for supplementary compensation (CSC) that India signed onto. He was equally clear that international law would take priority over domestic law that India might have specially when it came to international nuclear commerce. But left the ball is  India’s court. If India wants more reactors, Indian parliament will have to find way around time this time( the liability law) ‘ He said.

Kadakin said the second agreement for four nuclear reactors would start soon. ’ We could even build six ’ he  added. While  Haripur in west Bengal has been talked about  as a third site for nuclear cluster for Russia . Kadakin clarified  that this site was not formally offered to the  Russian side.

There have been some protests against the project  in west Bengal ,which put future  of project in doubt. Kadakin said Russia  was not concerned about protests. “ We are not choosing site . We are agreeing to site ’ he said adding that they were willing to go any  where the India government wanted them to build  in Orissa or Bengal or Karnataka. All three have been mentioned  as possible sites.

Kadakin took a stab at India’s other nuclear part “ within other countries, you have to virtual nuclear relationship, with us its there to be seen. But Russia is not jealous “ he added.

Russia and India he said had pioneered  the whole concept of strategic partnership 10 years ago and  it was time to celebrate the first decade of partnership. Defining the relationship, he said it was about joint development of advanced military equipment like Brahmos cruise missile and the fifth generation fighter air craft.

Kadakin however skirted the issue of cost time overruns,which is nagging problem with Russia defense deals to India. And with  past decade as India weapons acquisition has grown space ,India looks more towards countries like Israel, France,U.S. and Italy an alternative sources.

Medvedev  who arrives in India on the evening of December 20 ,will sign over dozen agreements with prime minister Manmohn  Singh along with a clutch of defense deals on the side.