DELHI - India has reiterated its readiness to develop full-scale cooperation with Russia in the field of the peaceful use of nuclear energy, including a road map for the building of up to 14-16 generating units under Russian projects.
This was announced during Thursday consultations between Russia’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Denisov and his Indian counterpart Rajan Mathai.
Denisov told the press afterwards that the parties had discussed in detail the situation with the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. The commissioning of this facility has been postponed because of protests among the local population, which wishes to be certain of the project’s complete safety.
"Our Indian partners have demonstrated complete understanding of the necessity of settling the situation," Denisov said. "Readiness was expressed for continuing efforts to resolve all matters obstructing the launch of the nuclear power plant," he said.
The central Indian government, having set up two expert groups, is working in close contact with the local authorities and anti-nuclear movement activists, he said.
"At the consultations India also agreed with our arguments for the unacceptability of idling highly qualified Russian atomic specialists," Denisov said. "We received assurances that an active search for a constructive resolution is underway at the government level."
The latest Indian press report Nuclear Power Corporation of India experts have expressed confidence the Kudankulam situation could change in four to six weeks, which would open the way to launching the facility’s first 1000-mWt reactor unit as early as August this year.
