The UK and India
have signed a Civil Nuclear Cooperation Declaration, a welcome
step forward which will help both countries to achieve low carbon
growth, British Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills, Pat
McFadden, announced in India today.
Mr McFadden said:
"The declaration is an important boost for both
countries and will help to mature our civil nuclear relationship.
"In March we will welcome two high level delegations to
the UK, enabled by this new agreement, which will truly kick-start
our partnership."
Mr McFadden is currently visiting India to strengthen UK-India
science and innovation ties.
During a meeting in New Delhi, Mr McFadden discussed the next
steps following this week's signing of the civil nuclear
cooperation declaration.
The next steps include:
- In early March the UK will host a major Nuclear New Build
Conference, focusing on new opportunities in India and the UAE. We
have invited senior representatives from the Nuclear Power
Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) to set out India's plans
for developing nuclear power projects and technologies in the
coming years. This event will be attended by nuclear leaders from
15 nations and will provide a platform for British Industry to
forge new links and demonstrate their competitive edge.
- In late March the UK will host a senior academic delegation
from India who will meet with their UK counterparts funded by a
million pound grant of the Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council to encourage and nurture post doctoral research
in this field. This will be the initial meeting of a two-year project.
- Many British companies involved in the UK Nuclear Supply Chain
will travel as part of a UKTI-led high level British delegation to
India later this year.
Mr McFadden said:
" This is a major step forward in the UK/India nuclear
relationship in line with our strong non-proliferation
commitments. It opens doors to greater collaboration between
companies in our two countries; more wide-ranging research
collaboration; and new opportunities to address shared challenges
such as nuclear waste management.
"As our economies continue to grow, demand for energy
will increase and with it the need to produce sustainable,
low-carbon solutions to address this challenge. Investment in new
technologies in nuclear power generation will help meet it. This
agreement will allow both countries to collaborate and jointly
tackle the key 21st Century challenges of energy security and
climate change."
Both the UK and India recognise the important role that nuclear
energy will play in ensuring energy security. Low carbon
innovations are central to the UK growth strategy that Prime
Minister Gordon Brown and Lord Mandelson launched last month.
Investment in new nuclear power generation technologies will be
important to this strategy. The UK, home to world-leading advanced
manufacturing companies for the energy sector, is well placed to
partner India on this.
Notes for Editors
1. For UK media queries, please contact BIS press office, on 020
7217 3505.
2. For India media queries, please contact Deepti Soni on Deepti.Soni@fco.gov.uk or
call on +91-9810312913.
3. The UK civil nuclear technology industry
* Fifty years
after building the world's first commercially operated
power station, the UK is still one of the market leaders in this
sector.
- It's an industry that earns the UK £700m in overseas
business every year and employs over 80,000 people across the
nuclear supply chain.
- UK nuclear equipment and service companies have a long track
record of design, construction and management. They are also
particularly experienced in the life-extension and decommissioning
of nuclear plants.
- The UK has set industry standards in areas such as radiation
detection and monitoring. It has a single-minded focus on safety
and quality and world-class facilities for undertaking highly
active experiments and trials.
4. Transfers of technology and equipment arising out of this
cooperation will be subject to the UK's international
non-proliferation commitments, including in the Nuclear
Suppliers' Group, and to normal export controls.
Government policy on nuclear-related exports to India was
announced by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in November 2008.
5. The Civil Nuclear Cooperation Declaration was signed on
Thursday 11 February by British High Commissioner His Excellency
Sir Richard Stagg and Dr Srikumar Banerjee, Chairman of the Atomic
Energy Commission of India and Secretary of the Department of
Atomic Energy, in New Delhi. The text of the accord was agreed at
a meeting in London earlier this month between Business Secretary
Lord Mandelson and Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma.
6. Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills Pat
McFadden's visit to India (13-17)
- During his visit the Minister will address the second bilateral
India-UK Science and Innovation Council (SIC) meeting with the
Indian Minister for Science and Technology Prithviraj Chavan in
New Delhi.
- The minister, along with the Government's Chief
Scientific Adviser, Professor John Beddington, will lead the UK
delegation at the meeting to discuss potential new multi-million
pound research collaborations.
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is
building a dynamic and competitive UK economy by: creating the
conditions for business success; promoting innovation, enterprise
and science; and giving everyone the skills and opportunities to
succeed. To achieve this it will foster world-class universities
and promote an open global economy. BIS - Investing in our future.
Contacts:
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