Ahead of prez visit, Russia seeks clarity on N-liability

Ahead of President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit that begins on Monday, the Russian ambassador on Friday said the country was still awaiting an explanation on how India's nuclear liability legislation would work.

Ahead of President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit that begins on Monday, the Russian ambassador on Friday said the country was still awaiting an explanation on how India's nuclear liability legislation would work.

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“So far we are working on the basis of agreements that we had signed before the (n-liability) Bill was passed," Alexander Kadakin, the ambassador, told reporters.

He added, though, that his country remained upbeat about building 14-16 nuclear reactors in India.

Medvedev is scheduled to reach India late Monday night for a two-day visit.

Kadakin said he did not think the law would be “a hurdle to expanding civil nuclear cooperation”. “But we do think India will adhere to the international agreements. The agreements have precedence over domestic laws.”

India's nuclear liability legislation, passed in August, caps the operator’s liability at

Rs 1,500 crore ($331 million) and also gives it the right to seek damages from suppliers, if there is an accident. In October, India signed the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC) to allay concerns of foreign suppliers, including the US.

The convention, after it comes into force, would give India access to a global relief fund in case of a mishap that has implications transcending borders. The convention also has parameters on the operator's financial liability, besides time limits for legal action.