US is taking steps to remove barriers in nuclear cooperation with India: NSA Jake Sullivan
text_fields
The United States is finalising measures to eliminate long-standing barriers to civil nuclear cooperation with India, announced US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan during his two-day visit to New Delhi.
This development aims to reinvigorate a landmark nuclear agreement between the two nations.
“Washington is now taking the necessary steps to address regulatory obstacles that have hindered collaboration between India’s leading nuclear entities and American companies,” Sullivan stated during his visit on Monday.
Discussions around the supply of US nuclear reactors to India have been ongoing since the mid-2000s. The civil nuclear deal, initially signed in 2007 under then-President George W. Bush, marked a turning point in enabling the US to sell civilian nuclear technology to India. In 2019, the two nations agreed to construct six US nuclear power plants in India.
However, India’s stringent nuclear liability laws have posed significant challenges. Unlike global norms that channel liability for nuclear accidents to the plant operator, Indian rules hold equipment manufacturers accountable. This has deterred foreign companies from investing in India’s nuclear sector, delaying the country’s goal of adding 20,000 MW of nuclear power capacity by 2030.
During his visit, Sullivan met India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to discuss ways to deepen bilateral, regional, and global cooperation. Following their meeting, Jaishankar acknowledged Sullivan’s significant role in advancing the India-US partnership over the past four years.
“Delighted to meet US NSA Jake Sullivan in New Delhi today. Continued our discussions on enhancing bilateral, regional, and global cooperation. Valued the openness of our conversations over the last four years and appreciated his personal contribution to forging a closer India-US partnership,” Jaishankar shared on X (formerly Twitter).
Sullivan’s visit, coming just days before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, also included discussions on broader geopolitical issues. Topics such as China’s upstream dam projects, artificial intelligence, space collaboration, military licensing, and Chinese economic overcapacity were expected to feature prominently.
This trip represents the outgoing Biden administration’s final high-profile diplomatic engagement with India.
With regulatory hurdles now being addressed, the move is expected to provide fresh momentum to US-India civil nuclear cooperation, potentially paving the way for significant advancements in India’s energy landscape.