India US DEAL: Under the Civil Nuclear Agreement, the US Energy Department or DoE has given final approval under the Civil Nuclear Agreement, allowing an American company to jointly design and build nuclear power plants in India. However, the overall outline of the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement was signed in 2007 by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the then US President George W. Bush, but finally, about 20 years of negotiations in getting the green signal, detailed discussion, legal and regulatory approval, liability, liability segments and blueprints, were found to be corresponding to the plans.
What was the matter stuck 20 years
Until now, American companies could export nuclear reactors and equipment to India under the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, but they were forbidden from any design or construction of nuclear equipment in India. New Delhi was adamant that every work should be done in India from design, construction and technology transfer. One after the other governments remained adamant on it. Now after many years and after Russia became stronger, the US has agreed on the conditions set by New Delhi. American and Indian companies will now jointly manufacture small modular reactors or SMRs and will also co-produce all its components and parts. It is being seen as a major victory of Indian diplomacy. This approval was given on March 26, 2025.
However, the US has laid a condition that these nuclear power plants jointly designed and built jointly will not be transferred to any other unit or final user in any other country other than the United States or the United States without pre -written consent of the United States Government. “
India’s diplomatic success
Along with this agreement between Washington and New Delhi to jointly design and build nuclear power plants in India, its technology transfer is being seen as a major diplomatic achievement. This is because it is at a time when the Trump administration is considering promoting manufacturing in the US and promoting ‘Made-in-USA’ equipment globally. At such a time, the construction of nuclear reactors in India shows a major achievement for India.
What is the benefit of India
The deal is also seen as a major win for the private sector of India, which will specialize in designing and building nuclear power plants – something that was still under the jurisdiction of government corporations. India currently specializes in small nuclear reactors with a capacity of 220mwe Phwr or heavy water reactors with pressure, now PWR or pressure water reactors will get the technique of making nuclear power plants with more advanced technology of water reactors. Most of the nuclear plants worldwide run on this technology.
What loss to China
This joint step of Indo-US has come at a time when China is carrying forward its plans to dominate the world in small modular reactors (SMR) sector at cheap prices. Affordable SMR Global South is a major requirement of progressing in a cost effective manner, and both India and China are competing with each other to make their access to Global South.