India not giving in to U.S. pressure on Nuclear Liability Law

In the run-up to President Barack Obama’s visit here in November, the U.S. side is looking for substantive changes in the nuclear liability law…..American companies such as GE and Westinghouse insist they will be unable to supply nuclear equipment to India unless they are fully insulated from all liability claims in the event of an accident.

India resists U.S. pushback on nuclear liability, The Hindu , Siddharth Varadarajan, 22 Oct 10, No change in the Act is possible, government tells U.S. NEW DELHI: After initially trying to dilute the nuclear liability law at the draft stage to accommodate the concerns of American suppliers, the Manmohan Singh government has told the United States that the Act, as passed by Parliament, is final and that no changes in any of its provisions are possible.

In particular, the Indian side insists that any rules the government might frame to guide the Act’s implementation cannot override its provisions, including Section 17(b), which gives Indian operators a ‘right of recourse’ against nuclear suppliers in the event of an accident caused by defective equipment.

No voluntary surrender

Indian officials also insist that operators will not be able to “voluntarily surrender” their rights under 17 (b) in any commercial contract signed with foreign reactor suppliers, as allowed, for example, by the nuclear law of South Korea.

In the run-up to President Barack Obama’s visit here in November, the U.S. side is looking for substantive changes in the nuclear liability law…..American companies such as GE and Westinghouse insist they will be unable to supply nuclear equipment to India unless they are fully insulated from all liability claims in the event of an accident.

The Hindu : Front Page : India resists U.S. pushback on nuclear liability

October 22, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, politics international | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, reactors