Government allays fears on civil nuclear projects

NEW DELHI: Amid indications that a nuclear contract would be signed with a US company soon, India today asserted that the liability law will apply to all agreements that are inked with any country and there was no question of diluting or bypassing it.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh separately sought to allay apprehensions in the wake of a row that the pact being signed between state-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd ( NPCIL) and US company Westinghouse would bypass the Nuclear Liability Law.

"Yes, we are close," Menon said when asked whether an agreement between NPCIL and Westinghouse was close to being signed before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh leaves for the US on September 25.

On the controversy, he said, "I was surprised yesterday to see stories that somehow Indian law will not be applicable to nuclear projects in India. Civil nuclear projects in Indian would naturally be subject to Indian laws including civil liability."

Commenting on the issue, Khurshid said, "Apprehensions are not facts. Apprehensions need discussions. We have been in discussions with the US companies for a long time. We have tried to say to them that the law of the country -- both Parliamentary legislation as well as rules and regulations that have been framed."

He told reporters that "We believe sincerely and honestly to address their concerns adequately. This is a matter of conversation, a matter of discussion and agreement. I hope that in due course we will be able to come to a common view on this."

The Foreign Secretary said any company, foreign or domestic, will have to follow procedures consistent with the Indian laws.