Challenge and Opportunity

The Indo-US nuclear deal is both an opportunity and a challenge to India. It promises to end India's nuclear isolation and pave the way for this sector to play a greater role in energy security. It will not compromise in any way the country's defence security. The challenge lies in separating civilian and military facilities, as called for in the agreement, at least cost. In the power sector, this will mean preventing any erosion in self-reliance and enabling the domestic nuclear industry to utilise its competitive advantages to build on imported reactor technology.