Barring last-minute hitches, India and Russia are set to sign a new civil nuclear pact tomorrow after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Summit talks with President Dmitry Medvedev which significantly will ensure uninterrupted uranium fuel supplies from Moscow in the event of termination of bilateral ties in this field for any reason.
The overarching framework for the nuclear cooperation between the two countries will be an addition to the three defence agreements which will be inked after Summit talks in Kremlin on Monday.
The Indo-Russian pact on atomic cooperation is a significant document and goes much further than the 123 agreement between India and the US, sources said.
The agreement with Russia is considered by India as a major improvement over the 123 pact which provides for not just termination of ongoing cooperation but also for the return to the US of already supplied components and fuel in the event of the nuclear agreement being terminated.
The pact with Russia is marked by a forward-looking language in matters relating to reprocessing, nuclear equipments and transfer of technology, the sources said. Singh, who arrived here today, will be holding talks with Medvedev at the Kremlin on a wide range of issues aimed at taking the strategic ties to new heights.
He will also meet Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Ahead of the visit, Singh had said that Indo-Russia atomic cooperation is a key pillar in bilateral relations.
{{/usCountry}}He will also meet Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Ahead of the visit, Singh had said that Indo-Russia atomic cooperation is a key pillar in bilateral relations.
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