The Biden administration has expressed its continued support for India’s inclusion in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), a 48-member organization. According to the agreement document between Modi and Biden released by the White House, the administration is committed to engaging with like-minded partners to advance India’s NSG membership. India, currently not a member of the NSG, was denied membership in 2016. The main reason behind the denial was India’s refusal to sign the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
India’s Department of Atomic Energy has made an in-kind contribution of US$140 million to the US Department of Energy’s Fermi National Laboratory. This contribution is for the collaborative development of the ‘Proton Improvement Plan-11 Accelerator’ related to the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility. The project aims to study neutrinos produced at Fermilab in Illinois. Neutrinos, which have mass and are the most abundant particles in the universe, will be studied over a 20-year period.
Highlighting the importance of nuclear energy in global decarbonisation efforts, the Modi-Biden agreement recognized nuclear energy as essential for meeting climate, energy transition, and energy security needs. Both leaders emphasized the development of next-generation small modular reactor technologies in a collaborative manner, catering to the domestic market and for export. The ongoing negotiations between the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited and the Westinghouse Electric Company of America for the construction of six nuclear reactors in India were also acknowledged.
The United States reaffirming its support for India’s inclusion in the NSG reflects the strengthening partnership between the two countries in the field of nuclear energy and research. The collaboration aims to advance India’s position in the NSG and promote the use of nuclear energy for sustainable development and energy security. The ongoing negotiations for nuclear reactor construction further signify the commitment to deepen cooperation in this sector.
For more information, read the full article on the Times of India website.
