India highlights nation's nuclear-energy achievements in 2015

The Indian government's Press Information Bureau (PIB) and Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) issued a year-end statement recently detailing activity in the nation's nuclear energy sector in 2015, proclaiming that  "major achievements" were made in the civil nuclear arena.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited France and Russia in April and December, respectively, on energy-related missions. In Russia, the two nations established an agreement to localize manufacturing of Russian-designed nuclear reactors in India. The PIB said 12 reactors are set the be constructed in India under this agreement.

During Modi’s visit to France, memoranda of understanding were established between France's AREVA Inc. and India's Larsen & Toubro to localize more of the Jaitapur project in Maharashtra to reduce costs. Modi also hosted U.S. President Barack Obama in January 2015 to implement a civil nuclear cooperation agreement in relation to the country’s Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010.

The PIB also noted that Modi acquired long-term supply contracts of uranium from Canada and Kazakhstan companies during visits to both countries.

During a visit to India from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a bilateral agreement for civil nuclear cooperation was reached in December 2015.

The PIB said these international partnerships and agreements will be able to facilitate the expansion of the country’s nuclear infrastructure and electrical generation capacity.