Indian PM is visiting Japan.
The governments of India and Japan, on Friday, signed an agreement on civil nuclear co-operation which will help India enhance its use of nuclear energy for civil nuclear purposes. The pact was signed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a visit to Japan, and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.
India is the first country that is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to have signed a nuclear pact with Japan which is the global leader in nuclear technology. Both the nations had arrived at a consensus to ink the agreement in December last year, reported The Hindustan Times.
“The two Prime Ministers welcomed the signing of the agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Republic of India for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy which reflects a new level of mutual confidence and strategic partnership in the cause of clean energy, economic development and a peaceful and secure world,” said a joint statement issued by the countries.
“The Agreement for Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy marks a historic step in our engagement to build a clean energy partnership,” said Prime Minister Modi.
With the agreement in effect, India can buy nuclear reactors, fuel, and technology from Japanese companies like US-based Westinghouse Electric, owned by Japan’s Toshiba, Japan Steel Works (JSW), and Hitachi. The agreement with Japan will also help India to make similar agreements with other countries.
India has started negotiations with Westinghouse Electric to set up six atomic energy plants in south India. The central government has plans to increase the use of atomic energy in the country.
“Today’s signing of the Agreement on Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy marks a historic step in our engagement to build a clean energy partnership,” said Modi. “I wish to thank Prime Minister Abe for the support extended for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group,” he added.
Japan was wary of making a nuclear agreement with India as the latter is a non-signatory to the NPT. It took six years of negotiations for both the nations to arrive at a final decision. Tokyo had sought assurance from Delhi that the former would not carry out nuclear test anymore.