Lok Sabha Question No. 2008 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-09
Subject: Aims of PM Visits Abroad
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: V. SATHYABAMA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2008

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.03.2016

## AIMS OF PM VISITS ABROAD

## 2008.   SHRIMATI  V. SATHYA BAMA:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Prime  Ministers'  recent  visits  to  France,  Russia  and  Japan  were aimed to bring in socio-economic and scientific development particularly in the field of atomic energy and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  details  of  the  Government  and  private  companies  who  signed  MoUs  with India for providing financial and technological support in atomic energy;
- (c) the priority sectors earmarked while strengthening India's relations with these countries; and
- (d) the roles and responsibilities and the stake-holders in developing civil nuclear sector in India?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (Dr. JITENDRA SINGH):

## (a) & Yes Sir. The details are as under:

- (b) (i)  France  :  During  the  visit  of  Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  to  France  in  April  2015, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and the French nuclear power company  AREVA  NP  signed  a  Pre-Engineering  Agreement  (PEA)  for  Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project (JNPP-1&2) based on the Evolutionary Pressurised Reactor (EPR)  technology.  The  PEA  will  facilitate  NPCIL  to  obtain  details  of  the  EPR technology, make a detailed safety assessment of the plant and take up licensing process  with  Atomic  Energy  Regulatory  Board  (AERB).  During  the  same  visit,  a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the Indian company M/s L&T  and  M/s  AREVA  of  France  on  10.04.2015  for  cooperation  to  maximize localization  for  the  French  -designed  nuclear  reactors  in  India  in  accord  with Government's 'Make-in-India' initiative.
- (ii)  Russia  :  A  Programme  of  Action  for  Localisation  of  Manufacturing  in  India  for Russian-designed Nuclear Power Plants was signed between India and Russia on 24.12.2015  during  the  visit  of  Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  of  India  to  Moscow.  The programme covers localisation in India for major equipment and spares as well as fuel  assemblies  for  future  Russian-designed  reactors  in  India,  in  accord  with Government's 'Make-in-India'  initiative.  Coinciding  with  the  visit  of  Hon'ble  Prime

Minister  to  Moscow,  an  Integrity  Pact  for  the  project  for  Kudankulam  Units  -  5&6 was signed between NPCIL and the Russian reactor supplier Atomstroyexport.

(iii)  Japan  :  Recent  high-level  engagements  with  Japan,  including  the  visit  of Hon'ble Prime Minister to Japan in August 2014 and the visit of Japanese Prime Minister  to  India  in  December  2015,  have  led  to  the  negotiation  on  bilateral  civil nuclear cooperation agreement being concluded in December 2015, bringing to a close five years of negotiations on this issue. The agreement will enable India to take advantage of Japan's advancements in the civil nuclear domain, and will make a direct contribution to India's civil nuclear programme.

- (c) India  has  signed  Inter-Governmental  Agreements  with  a  number  of  international partners  for  cooperation  in  peaceful  uses  of  nuclear  energy.  The  scope  of cooperation inter alia covers the supply of nuclear material, non-nuclear material, equipment,  components  or  technology,  training  of  personnel  and  transfer  of technology, for peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
- (d) Department  of  Atomic  Energy  (DAE)  is  the  nodal  department  in  Government  of India  for  all  matters  related  to  atomic  energy.  DAE  has  two  PSUs,  viz.  Nuclear Power  Corporation  of  India  Ltd.  (NPCIL)  and  Bharatiya  Nabhikiya  Vidyut  Nigam (BHAVINI)  under  its  administrative  control,  which  have  been  entrusted  with  the responsibility  of  nuclear  power  generation.  With  the  enactment  of  Atomic  Energy (Amendment) Act, 2015, NPCIL and BHAVINI are in a position to form joint venture companies with other Indian PSUs to meet the additional funding requirements for expanding  nuclear  power  programme  and  augmenting  nuclear  power  generation capacity of India.

Two industrial units i.e. Nuclear Fuel Complex and Heavy Water Board functioning under the aegis of the Department of Atomic Energy cater to the fuel fabrication and Heavy Water requirements respectively for India's nuclear power programme.

Private sector in India participates in India's nuclear power programme as important source of supply of components and equipment and for works contracts.

On the R&D front, constituent Units of DAE viz. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC),  Raja  Rammana  Centre for  Atomic  Research  (RRCAT),  Variable  Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC) are engaged in basic as well as applied research in civil nuclear energy and affiliated sciences, to bring the benefits of nuclear energy for societal use as well as scientific development.

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