India should ensure its laws are consistent with international laws: US

In a gentle reminder to India that its civil nuclear liability law should be compatible, the US today said there are "couple of issues" about the legislation raised by the US companies and it would be "wise" for the country to ensure consistency between its regulations and that of other countries.

"India has to make its own decision but in making decision it will be wise for India to look at the practices of other countries and ensure its regulations and its laws are consistent with those of other countries," Robert Hormats, under secretary of state for economic, energy and agricultural affairs, said during a question-answer session after a function.

He said there were couple of issues raised about the legislation by the US government by American companies and also other foreign companies, including some Indian companies.

Last week in Washington, state department spokesman PJ Crowley said that the US would look to India to see what "changes" can be made to the nuclear liability bill just passed by Parliament in the wake of concerns over making suppliers of equipment also liable in the event of a nuclear accident.

"We continue our discussions with the Indian Government on this issue and we note that Indian business leaders are concerned about some specific aspects of the law that was just passed by Parliament," Crowley said in the first reaction by the Obama administration to some controversial provisions in the bill.

"We will look to the Indian government to see what changes can be made," Crowley told reporters in response to a question on the US business being reportedly unhappy on some aspects of the liability law.

The liability legislation was a vital step to clear the decks for the full implementation of the historic Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

On August 30, Parliament had adopted the nuclear liability bill with the government insisting that the compensation package for victims matches that of the US and it was still open to accommodate some suggestions.

Sources here are maintaining that the provisions of the legislation were compatible with international standards.