13 October 2005
India seeks 4 more reactors
- By Seema Mustafa
New Delhi, Oct. 12: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Russia in the first week of December, with defence and nuclear cooperation high on the agenda. Both countries are looking at the supply of four additional nuclear reactors for the Koodankulam atomic power plant, with Moscow supportive of the India-US civilian nuclear energy pact as a way towards clearance by the Nuclear Suppliers Group for the sale of nuclear reactors to India.
The Russians had made it clear to the Indian government that they were powerless to proceed on this front, and that it was essential for New Delhi to tackle the United States and ensure NSG approval for removing restrictions that had been imposed on India after the Pokhran nuclear tests, highly-placed sources here said.
New Delhi has expressed interest in four nuclear reactors for the Koodankulam power plant, in addition to the two reactors set up by the Russians. It is now proposed that two of the nuclear reactors (of 1,000 MW each) will be constructed by Russia, and the other two by India, which has acquired the technology to do so, if and when the NSG lifts its objections. It is apparent that both Russia and France in this group will strongly back India when the matter comes up for discussion.
The supply of nuclear fuel will also be cleared once the NSG overrules its own objections. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had personally taken up this matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin at their last meeting but had been told that it was impossible as Russia was a NSG member and bound by its rules. The Russians are in fact keen to point out that they are not opposed to the India-US civilian nuclear agreement and that discussions between the two on this issue had been encouraged by Moscow.
Russia will be looking to upgrade its 1996 defence pact with India and is optimistic that a new large-scale forward-looking agreement would emerge from the Prime Minister's visit, and take final shape by next year. The joint military and naval exercises between the two countries this month could become an annual event, with Moscow certainly keen to give this form of cooperation a fairly permanent shape.
Russia had been the primary source of defence supplies for India, and there is some worry that the government's policy of diversification could impact adversely on this favoured status. The Russians and the Germans were left out of India's search for a nuclear submarine, with France bagging the lucrative deal for the supply of the Scorpene submarines in a "single vendor" deal for which other bids were not invited.
The Russians' USP has been their willingness to transfer technology to India - both nuclear tech and in conventional defence weaponry. The Americans, on the other hand, are very reluctant on this issue, and till recently had been unable to penetrate the Indian market as a result.
The defence framework and the civilian nuclear energy pact could change this, a fact that is being recognised by the traditional defence partners of India, including Russia and France. Moscow is now supporting India's bid to enter the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as a permanent member. At present this consists of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and if India joins, the organisation will cover nearly half the world's population.
It has acquired international recognition since it was formed in 1996 and suggests a loose economic, political and military alliance between the member nations. Russian defence analyst Georgy Arbatov has been quoted as saying that the Shanghai Group has sent a direct challenge to the United States. At a meeting this year the organisation discussed the issue of American bases in the region, maintaining that these should not remain for an indefinite period of time.
Russia and France are particularly interested in enhancing nuclear and defence cooperation with India. Both regard the US and Israel as emerging competitors and are keen to prepare the ground for nuclear and defence deals with India as and when the NSG removes its restrictions.
Both are in a position, better than the US at present, to supply nuclear reactors to India, which is now expected under the agreement with the US to separate its military and civilian nuclear facilities and bring the former under IAEA safeguards. The government has agreed to sign the additional protocol, essential for its bid to persuade the NSG to remove the restrictions and leave it free to purchase nuclear reactors and nuclear fuel from member nations.