The International Atomic Energy Agency has green-lighted an Indian proposal for separating the nation's military and civilian nuclear sites under a nuclear trade agreement with the United States, the Times of India reported today (see GSN, Oct. 6).
The development could help mollify lingering U.S. concerns that India could produce weapon-usable plutonium by reprocessing U.S.-origin nuclear fuel obtained under the deal, which is designed only to benefit New Delhi's civilian atomic operations.
The powers appeared to be edging toward consensus on a fuel reprocessing plan following two negotiation sessions between Washington and New Delhi, sources indicated. U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns was expected to discuss the reprocessing arrangement with Indian officials on a trip to New Delhi that began yesterday, and Indian national security adviser M.K. Narayanan is set to address the plan during a visit to Washington planned for next week.
Officials expressed optimism that the arrangement would be finalized during Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's upcoming trip to the U.S. capital.
Meanwhile, New Delhi has continued to seek greater access to U.S.-built nuclear components with both civilian and military applications.
In addition, the sides could soon finalize plans for U.S. firms to construct nuclear power plants at Mitri Vidi and Kovada (Indrani Bagchi, Times of India, Oct. 16).