(a) whether India and Russia have signed any agreement for the development of nuclear technology;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether Russia has agreed to supply nuclear fuel for Kudankulam Atomic Power Plant; and
(d) if so, the terms and conditions laid down in the agreement by Russia for the purpose?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY (SMT. VASUNDHARA RAJE)
(a) to (d) Yes, Sir. An Inter Governmental Agreement (IGA) was signed between the Republic of India and former Soviet Union(FSU) on November 20, 1988 for setting up of
2x1000 MWe VVERs (Pressurised Water Reactors) at
Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu. Subsequently, a ` Supplement
to the IGA` was signed between the Republic of India
and the Russian Federation on June 21, 1998 to incor-
porate the revised terms for the implementation of
the project, according to which the nuclear power plant
will be constructed on a technical and financial
co-operation basis. Consequent to this, a contract for
preparation of the Detailed Project Report(DPR) for the
proposed project was signed by the Nuclear Power
Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and the Russian
Organisation `ATOMSTROYEXPORT` on 20th July 1998. The
`Supplement to IGA` has come into force with effect
from 18th September, 1998 after ratification by the
Government of India. The DPR contract has come into
effect from 4th April, 2000. Presently, the DPR is
being prepared and is expected to be completed by the
end of year 2001. The detailed techno-commercial terms
and conditions for the implementation of the project
shall be firmed up after the completion of the DPR.
The 1988 Agreement and its Supplement provide for,
inter-alia, the supply of nuclear fuel by Russia for
the entire life of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.
The spent fuel shall be stored and reprocessed by
Government of India and the reprocessed materials shall
be retained and used in India under IAEA safeguards.