Ways for possible cooperation in nuclear commerce under the framework of the India-US nuclear agreement of 2008 figured prominently in the talks US assistant secretary of state for energy resources Geoffrey R Pyatt had with his Indian interlocutors in Delhi on February 16 and 17.
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Talking to PTI, Pyatt described India as a “very crucial” partner for the US in ensuring global energy security in view of serious disruptions in supplies of fossil fuel resulting from Russia’s “brutal” invasion of Ukraine.
“I’m very focused on how we can develop opportunities for future civil nuclear cooperation, recognising that if we are stuck at issues, we have to work them through, the famous liability question,” he said.
“The business model of the civil nuclear industry is changing. In the US, we made a huge commitment to small and marginal reactors which could be particularly suitable to the Indian environment too,” he added.
He also said the US supports PM Modi’s “incredibly ambitious” energy transition goal of having 500 GW of energy from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
Pyatt suggested that New Delhi is very keen to take forward civil nuclear energy cooperation as part of the overall bilateral energy ties.
The official said overall energy cooperation between India and the US will form a major part of the strategic ties between the two sides.
Pyatt also said the US is keen on forging strong cooperation with India in areas of green hydrogen energy.
The official said the Russian invasion of Ukraine has created an incentive, particularly in places like Europe, to accelerate the energy transition.