India signs nuclear deal with Russia
India yesterday signed a path-breaking broad-based agreement in the civil nuclear field with Russia, which will ensure transfer of technology and uninterrupted uranium fuel supplies to its nuclear reactors, and inked three pacts in the defence sector.
The agreements were signed after talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the Kremlin in Moscow, during which they discussed a whole range of issues, including terrorism emanating from Afghanistan.
"Today we have signed an agreement that broadens the reach of our cooperation beyond supplies of nuclear reactors to areas of research and development and a whole range of areas in nuclear energy," Dr Singh said during a joint press conference with Medvedev.
The prime minister said the agreement will deepen and strengthen the already existing nuclear cooperation between the two countries, under which four new nuclear reactors would be set up by Russia in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu, and a site for the fifth one has been identified in West Bengal
Dr Singh and President Medvedev also discussed the supply of four more Russian reactors for nuclear power station in Koodankulam in Tamil Nadu.
The other major agreements signed are three defence deals, including one on cooperation in the development and production of multi-role transport aircraft and an MTA, which will give India an opportunity to enter the global export market.
The two other agreements include an estimated five billion dollar pact on extending the programme for military and technical cooperation for the period 2011-2020 and a pact on after-sales support for Russian arms and military equipment supplied to India.
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