Thaindian News

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) – The United States and India reached an agreement on Friday to cooperate on peaceful uses of nuclear energy that will cause the reprocessing of U.S.-obligated nuclear material in India.

The Arrangements and Procedures Pursuant to Article 6(iii) of the Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy was signed by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Bill Burns and Indian Ambassador to the U.S. Meera Shankar.

Upon entry into force, the agreement will enable reprocessing by India of U.S.-obligated nuclear material at a new national reprocessing facility to be established by India. The facility will be dedicated to reprocessing of safeguarded nuclear material under the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

The Arrangements and Procedures will facilitate U.S. involvement in India’s expanding civil nuclear sector. The agreement also reflects the intention of building on the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative which has facilitated new commercial opportunities in the Indian multi-billion dollar nuclear energy market.

The reprocessing consent was only previously given by the U.S. to the European Union and Japan. An increased civil nuclear trade with India will create thousands of jobs for the U.S. and will help India to meet its ever-growing energy needs.