Speaking at a joint press conference, the Japanese prime minister gave vent to such apprehensions, saying the current agreement is a legal framework that compels India to act responsibly in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
The India-Japan nuclear deal, signed on Friday between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, has finally ended India's quest for nuclear energy. This deal will also help in the operationalisation of the India-United States Civil Nuclear Agreement, which was signed way back in 2005. But in the absence of a deal with Japan, it was left hanging.
The 2005 nuclear deal was important as it paved the way for the American nuclear reactor manufacturer Westinghouse, now owned by the US unit of Toshiba Corporation, to set up plants in India. Westinghouse had been acquired by Japan's Nuclear Fuel Industries and Toshiba in 2009. Westinghouse had, soon after 2005, started negotiations to set up reactors, but this deal could not go forward as Japanese laws did not permit nuclear commerce with non-NPT countries. Now, with the deal signed, the company is expected to set up six reactors in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam area.
The India-Japan agreement came up after wide-ranging discussions between the two prime ministers. Experts in India believe a deal with Japan, which has a strong nuclear non-proliferation stance, will help New Delhi to undertake nuclear commerce not only with other countries, but will also strengthen its case to claim the membership of the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
The agreement comes after tough negotiations for over six years between the two countries. The two countries had reached a broad agreement last December during Mr Abe's visit to India, but Japan, the only country to have suffered a nuclear attack, saw strong political resistance to the deal — especially after the 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Tokyo's major reservation was that India hasn't signed the NPT, and had sought assurances from New Delhi that it would not conduct any more nuclear tests.
Speaking at a joint press conference, the Japanese prime minister gave vent to such apprehensions, saying the current agreement is a legal framework that compels India to act responsibly in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Sources here said that India had assured Japan that it had declared a moratorium on nuclear testing since its last explosions in 1998, and had an impeccable record on non-proliferation. On Thursday night, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had created a commotion, by asking aloud why India shouldn't simply say it wouldn't use its nuclear capabilities irresponsibly, instead of committing to a 'no first-use policy.'
Modi also said the signing of the agreement marked a historic step. "Our cooperation in this field will help us combat the challenge of Climate Change. I also acknowledge the special significance that such an agreement has for Japan," he said. Modi then thanked the Japanese prime minister, Japanese government and Parliament for their support to this agreement.
Other nations who have signed civil nuclear deal with India include the US, Russia, South Korea, Mongolia, France, Namibia, Argentina, Canada, Kazakhstan and Australia.
India and Japan have also called for "expeditious reforms of the UN including the UNSC to make it more legitimate, effective and representative, taking into account the contemporary realities of the 21st century and reiterated their resolve to work closely with like-minded partners to realise this goal."
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