Saran and Burns head the Indo-US joint working group on civil  cooperation. India is looking to nuclear energy as a solution for its growing energy requirements. The country is hoping that the discussions will lead to the lifting of restrictions on nuclear technology transfer imposed by the US since India's nuclear tests in 1998. The US has requested a number of safeguards in exchange. India has been asked to separate its military and civilian nuclear programmes, and allow the (IAEA) to inspect its civilian reactors while continuing its moratorium on nuclear testing. If the deal goes through, the US would be making an exception in the case of India, which is not a signatory to the (NPT). The two sides claimed that there is enough good will and trust to reach an agreement while admitting to have encountered difficulties that required more work. The agreement has some members of the Congress concerned with opposition from both and . Critics believe the deal could harm efforts to curb the spread of nuclear weapons and potentially jeopardize the NPT. The agreement also hinges on the details surrounding the separation of India's military and civilian nuclear facilities. This may not be very easy as some of the country's nuclear research facilities are thought to contribute to both fields. US senator John Kerry has supported the deal "in principle" while saying that the fine print of the agreement would need to be studied when Congress votes on the issue. Kerry is a member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee and met with the Indian Prime Minister and other senior officials earlier this month.
Saran and Burns head the Indo-US joint working group on civil nuclear energy cooperation. India is looking to nuclear energy as a solution for its growing energy requirements. The country is hoping that the discussions will lead to the lifting of restrictions on nuclear technology transfer imposed by the US since India's nuclear tests in 1998. The US has requested a number of safeguards in exchange. India has been asked to separate its military and civilian nuclear programmes, and allow the (IAEA) to inspect its civilian reactors while continuing its moratorium on nuclear testing. If the deal goes through, the US would be making an exception in the case of India, which is not a signatory to the (NPT). The two sides claimed that there is enough good will and trust to reach an agreement while admitting to have encountered difficulties that required more work. The agreement has some members of the Congress concerned with opposition from both Democrats and Republicans . Critics believe the deal could harm efforts to curb the spread of nuclear weapons and potentially jeopardize the NPT. The agreement also hinges on the details surrounding the separation of India's military and civilian nuclear facilities. This may not be very easy as some of the country's nuclear research facilities are thought to contribute to both fields. US senator John Kerry has supported the deal "in principle" while saying that the fine print of the agreement would need to be studied when Congress votes on the issue. Kerry is a member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee and met with the Indian Prime Minister and other senior officials earlier this month.
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nuclear energy
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Democrats and Republicans