Mumbai: India has notified its Separation Plan to the International Atomic Energy Agency, almost 14 months after the 35-member board of governors of the IAEA approved the country-specific nuclear safeguards agreement.
The notification formalities were completed last night, a crucial step in paving way for the implementation of international civil nuclear cooperation, Department of Atomic Energy sources said.
The India Specific Safeguards Agreement (ISSA) or the `umbrella` agreement approved by consensus by the IAEA Board on August 1 last year can now officially enter into force
formally separating India`s civilian and strategic nuclear establishments.
India will be placing a total of 14 Indian reactors under ISSA of international nuclear watchdog by 2014.
Yesterday, the indigenously built two units of 220 MW of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS units 5 and 6) were formally brought under ISSA and this is a major milestone for India`s integrate with the world nuclear suppliers group, they said.
The separation plan was officially announced in March 2006 during US President George W Bush`s visit to India.
IAEA would begin to implement the new Safeguards Agreement this year by inspecting the imported Uranium fuel fabrication at the Nuclear Fuel Complex at Hyderabad and its
transfer and loading on the newly constructed RAPS 5 and 6.
Bureau Report
