Tokyo: India has made a comprehensive presentation before Japan on its future expansion plans for nuclear energy generation even as the two countries underlined the need to cooperate in enhancing the safety of atomic power plants post-Fukushima disaster.
The two sides reconfirmed the importance of civil nuclear cooperation, said a joint statement issued after the 6th India-Japan Energy Dialogue between the Planning Commission of India and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan here.
"Based on the experience of the accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and the lessons learned from it, both sides confirmed the need to cooperate in enhancing the safety of nuclear power plants," the joint statement said.
Both sides concluded that bilateral cooperation is important in the nuclear power sector, and welcomed the fact that a meeting of the Nuclear Energy Working Group, set up under the India-Japan Energy Dialogue framework, was held yesterday with Indian side making a presentation on its plan for expanding nuclear energy generation in the coming years.
The statement said "both sides reconfirmed the importance of civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries."
The Indian delegation was led by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, and Japanese team was headed by Yukio Edano, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.
Senior officials of the relevant ministries and departments of both sides participated in the discussions.
Both sides welcomed the progress achieved so far in the previous five rounds of the Energy Dialogue and in the deliberations of the various Working Groups.
During the talks, both sides reaffirmed that it is important to hold the ministerial-level India-Japan Energy Dialogue annually, and shared the recognition that the issues of energy security and global environment are high priority challenges requiring continuous and effective action.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 16:25