Daily Times Pakistan 01 Ottobre 2008

* Deal effectively ends ban on civilian nuclear trade with New Delhi imposed in 1974

PARIS: France and India signed a landmark nuclear co-operation pact on Tuesday, which opens the way for the sale of French nuclear reactors to New Delhi.

“India and France welcome the signature of a bilateral accord for civil nuclear co-operation, which will form the basis of enlarged bilateral co-operation in the fields of energy and research,” a French presidency statement said.

The accord was signed following talks between President Nicolas Sarkozy and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who travelled to France after a United States trip that also saw the House of Representatives back a US atomic pact with India.

The pact marks a key step in India’s bid to secure energy resources to support its booming economy.

Ban lifted: It effectively ends a ban on civilian nuclear trade with New Delhi imposed in 1974 when India used its civilian nuclear programme to produce and successfully test an atomic bomb. The Vienna-based Nuclear Suppliers Group lifted the ban in early September after hard lobbying by Washington.

India, which currently has 22 nuclear reactors, is seeking to expand its nuclear energy sector, opening up a market estimated at 100 billion euros ($145 billion) over 15 years.

(afp)

Source > Daily Times.com.pk | oct 01