India-US issue joint statement on 10 years of Cooperation over GCNEP & nuclear energy

United States' Embassy and Consulates in India on Tuesday issued a joint press statement on 10 years of Cooperation regarding Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership and Extension of the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation between India and the US for an additional 10 years.

'Looking forward to robust cooperation'

According to the statement, the Government of India and the Government of the United States of America, recognizing and appreciating the strength of the enduring partnership between the two countries on matters of security and reaffirming the important contributions of the U.S.-India nuclear and radiological security cooperation for the benefit of their citizens and the world, extended their cooperation in this area in October 2020 by signing a ten-year extension of the GCNEP MOU.

The two Governments, seeking to build on the first ten years of strong cooperation and looking forward to robust cooperation over the next ten years, commit to:

• Promote cooperation on initiatives aimed at giving an impetus to nuclear safety and security, research and development in nuclear science and technology under various schools of GCNEP;
• Deepen the dialogue on nuclear and other radioactive material security by collaborating on advanced projects in the field (e.g. future technology), with the goal of sharing the outcomes in the international arena;
• Wider inclusion of agencies of both Governments and relevant entities, as appropriate, involved in nuclear and radioactive material security, in order to ensure that the full spectrum of perspectives are shared; and
• Build on the international recognition of the GCNEP, and reinforce that the two countries are partners for nuclear and radioactive material security by jointly developing and /or delivering training and other capacity-building opportunities for regional and international partners, including online content.

India-US extend MoU concerning cooperation with GCNEP

Last month, India and the US had announced the extension of the duration of an MoU between them concerning cooperation with the Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership. 

The US also reaffirmed its "continued strong support" for India''s early entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), according to a joint statement issued after the 2+2 strategic dialogue between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Minister S Jaishankar and their US counterparts Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defence Mark T Esper.

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"Recalling the historic India-US Civil Nuclear Agreement, the ministers welcomed the project Division of Responsibility principles between the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and the Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC) for the construction of six nuclear reactors at Kovvada (in Andhra Pradesh), and looked forward to the detailed Division of Responsibility that would pave the way for a techno-commercial offer," it said.

The GCNEP is a research and development institute in Haryana under the aegis of the Department of Atomic Energy.  The two countries signed the landmark Indo-US nuclear cooperation agreement in 2008, a pact that not only eased uranium supply to India but also paved way for foreign companies (the US and France) to build nuclear power reactors in India. "The US also reaffirmed its continued strong support for India's permanent membership in a reformed UNSC as well as for India''s early entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," the joint statement said.

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(With PTI inputs)