Japan, India sign civil nuclear deal

Tokyo : Japan and India signed a controversial civil nuclear deal yesterday that will allow Japanese companies to export atomic technology to the Asian giant as the two countries deepen economic and security ties.

The pact signed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi is Japan’s first with a nation that has not signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

The treaty bans nations other than the five permanent members of the UN Security Council from developing and possessing nuclear weapons.

Japan had long shunned civil nuclear cooperation with energy-starved India over the NPT issue.

But it has softened its stance as it competes for lucrative deals and steps up strategic cooperation with New Delhi in the face of China’s expanding economic and military presence in the region.

“The agreement is a legal framework to ensure India acts responsibly for the peaceful use of nuclear energy,” Abe told reporters with Modi at his side.

“Today’s signing of the agreement for cooperation in peaceful use of nuclear energy marks a historic step in our engagement to build a clean energy partnership,” Modi said. Besides the US and Japan, India also has similar deals with France and Australia.

The Asian allies have stepped up cooperation in recent years, signing agreements last December on the transfer of defence equipment and technology and on exchanging classified military
information.