WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and India moved a step closer on Monday to getting American firms a share of India's $150 billion (100.2 billion pounds) nuclear energy market, completing negotiations on reprocessing spent nuclear fuel.
The agreement on procedures, announced by the State Department, will enable Indian reprocessing of U.S.-originated nuclear material under the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards and is part of the countries' bilateral civilian atomic pact.
The 2008 U.S. deal ended the nuclear isolation India had experienced since its 1974 atomic test and gave it access to U.S. technology and fuel, while also opening up the global nuclear market to India.
Monday's announcement removed one hurdle to U.S. participation in the Indian nuclear market. However, a new cause for delay emerged on March 15, when opposition protests forced India's government to shelve a crucial accident liability bill.
The government backed off from introducing in parliament the bill to limit nuclear firms' liability in the case of industrial accidents after it became clear the opposition would block it. The legislation had been cleared by the cabinet.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/03/29/world/international-uk-usa-india-nuclear.html?_r=1">NYTimes: U.S., India Finish Nuclear Reprocessing Arrangements
India, from my perspective, is developing the most interesting reprocessing technology in the world. I have a post in preparation which will show the many advances and approaches they have made in the last few years. They are the world leader in developing advanced nuclear fuel reprocessing schemes.
This will be good for India, not so good for the United States which will lose its valuable used nuclear fuel and be essentially giving it away to another nation. We will live to regret that.
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