US co-operation in nuclear energy field

for Ministry of External Affairs | Date - 27-04-2005


The Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri Rao Inderjit Singh told the Lok Sabha today that the India-US Energy Dialogue announced during the Washington visit of Shri Natwar Singh on 14-15 April, 2005 would be led by the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia and the US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman. The main components of this dialogue would include civil nuclear energy, hydrocarbons and cleaner technologies.

The Minister further informed that the Government is engaged in a dialogue with key interlocutors such as Russia and France for furthering cooperation in the energy sector, including nuclear energy, as it has placed considerable importance on nuclear energy in its energy mix, as a cheap and clean source of energy.

Shri Singh, however, added that in order to facilitate international cooperation in nuclear energy, India will not change its policy on the NPT. Any programme for such cooperation will be pursued in a manner consistent with the requirements of our national security, he said.

He was replying to a question by Sh Anirudh Prasad Alias Sadhu Yadav and others.

AK/SK/JA
(Release ID :8824)

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