India, France Sign Nuclear Agreement

India and France signed an agreement on civil nuclear cooperation in Paris on September 30, 2008, . The agreement formally called the ‘Cooperation Agreement between India and France on the Development of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy’ , was signed by Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Chairman Dr. Anil Kakodkar and French Foreign Minister Mr. Bernard Kouchner at the Elysee Palace. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the French President Mr. Nicolas Sarkozy were also present on this occasion.
The agreement brings India back into the nuclear mainstream after 34 year of isolation . France become the first country to enter into a nuclear pact with India after the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) waived international restrictions on the India’s nuclear trade on September 6, 2008.
The agreement marks the unshackling of India from the denial regime in place after the first Pokhran test in Rajasthan in 1974. In fact, this pathbreaking development brings down the wall keeping India away from nuclear technology. In addition, the agreement paves the way for India to do business with France in reactors , nuclear fuel safety, nuclear fuel supply, radiation and environment protection and nuclear fuel cycle management.
After the agreement was signed, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said, “ Today we have added a new dimension to our strategic partnership by signing an inter – governmental agreement on civil nuclear cooperation . France is the first country with whom we have entered into such an agreement after the lifting of international restrictions on civil nuclear cooperation with India by the NSG”. A French presidential spokes-person described the document as a “broad agreement one that will allow a wide range of cooperation in the civilian nuclear field inclueing the transfer of technology”.
Both sides have contextualised the agreement in the global need to find non-polltting energy sources in order to combat climate change. The two sides also reaffirmee their “common concerns and objectives in the field of non- proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery including a view of possible linkage to terrorism”.
Cooperation in the nuclear arena between India and France dates back to the days of the fast breeder test reactor at Kalpakkam near Chennai (Tamil Nadu), the heavy water production facilities at Vadodara (Gujarat) , and the supply of enriched uranium for the Tarapur (Maharashtra) nuclear plant after the Pokhran test in Rajasthan 1974.
Dr. Kakodkar said that under the agreement, India can, using its own technology and under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards, reprocess used nuclear fuel imported from France. Though the agreement does not permit transfer of reprocessing technology to India, Dr. Kakodkar said this was only the beginning of a process of full-scale cooperation. He expressed the hope that “sooner than later”, India and France would hammer out commercial agreements to operationalise the nuclear agreement.
India and France also signed a social security agreement. It will result in benefits for Indian nationals working in France as also for French nationals working India.
A major pat was signed between the India Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the French Space Organisation, on utilisation of he Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) launch services.
The two countries also decided to raise their bilateral trade to 12 billon Euros by 2012.