12 Feb (NucNet): The UK and India have signed an agreement on civilian nuclear cooperation that will allow for nuclear trade and scientific cooperation between the two countries.
The “wide-ranging” agreement was signed yesterday by India’s Atomic Energy Commission chairman, Srikumar Bannerjee, and the British high commissioner to India, Richard Stagg.
Ministers from both countries had agreed to the text of the agreement last week in London.
India has now signed eight nuclear cooperation agreements with countries including Russia, France and Argentina. In November 2009, US president Barack Obama said a similar agreement between the US and India, signed in 2008, would be “fully implemented” soon.
That agreement allows India access to civilian nuclear energy despite its refusal to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Officially known as the United States-India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Nonproliferation Enhancement Act, the agreement lets US nuclear suppliers resume trade with India after being barred when India tested an atomic bomb 36 years ago.
In September 2008, the 46-member Nuclear Suppliers Group agreed to adjust its guidelines to allow full civil nuclear cooperation between India and the international community.
The NSG is a group of nuclear supplier countries which implements guidelines for nuclear exports and nuclear related exports.
>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
Obama ‘Committed To Full Implementation’ Of India-US Nuclear Deal (News in Brief No. 151, 24 November 2009)
Russia And India Sign Agreement For More Nuclear Cooperation (News in Brief No. 160, 9 December 2009)
