| India and Japan are quietly working on an | | | | to the next level and hoping to formalise it |
| inter-governmental agreement on civilian nuclear | | | | through a bilateral pact. |
| energy so that the 123 Agreement between India | | | | The fact is that the two US companies pushing to |
| and the US, currently in the last lap of political | | | | build civilian nuclear plants in India, General Electric |
| negotiation before the US Congress, can be fully | | | | and Westinghouse Electric Co (WEC), are either |
| implemented on the ground in India. | | | | partly or wholly owned by Japanese companies. |
| The India-Japan agreement, in fact, very much | | | | GE and Hitachi came together in a 60:40 per cent |
| mirrors the 123 Agreement between India and | | | | international joint venture in 2006, while Toshiba |
| the US. New Delhi's promise not to conduct any | | | | Corp. bought Westinghouse outright in 2006 for |
| nuclear tests in the Indo-US nuclear deal is also | | | | $4 billion. |
| accompanied by the vow that it will return all | | | | In fact, Japan's Mitsubishi Nuclear Fuel Co was in |
| material and equipment to the US in case that | | | | December 2008 restructured as a comprehensive |
| happens. | | | | nuclear fuel fabrication company, with a 30 per |
| Over the next few weeks, senior officials from | | | | cent stake by the French firm Areva, so as to |
| the Ministry of External Affairs will travel to | | | | allow it to expand domestic operations into |
| Tokyo to take forward the deliberations of the | | | | overseas markets. |
| sixth working group with the director general of | | | | Since without Tokyo's permission the 123 |
| the Agency of Natural Resources & Energy, T | | | | Agreement -- soon to face the US Congress for |
| Ueda. | | | | final ratification -- cannot be implemented on the |
| Considering Japan is the only country in the world | | | | ground in India, the need for an intergovernmental |
| to have experienced the horrors of nuclear war | | | | agreement had become pressing. |
| first hand, Japanese public opinion was outraged | | | | Meanwhile, the government introduced the nuclear |
| when the erstwhile Taro Aso government in 2008 | | | | liability Bill on the last day of the Budget session of |
| allowed the Nuclear Suppliers Group to make an | | | | Parliament on Friday. The Bill will be scrutinised by |
| exception for India and allow the Indo-US nuclear | | | | the standing committee headed by Samajwadi |
| deal to go through. | | | | Party leader Mulayam Singh in the interim months |
| Now, New Delhi is taking this energy relationship | | | | before the monsoon session opens in July. |