India-France Nuclear Deal

India- France Nuclear Deal

A nuclear accord was signed between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President of France Nicolas Sarkozy in September 2008. France is the second largest producer of energy after the United States and is a leading exporter of civilian nuclear technology. After Nuclear Suppliers Group lifted the ban that that had previously stopped India from getting access to the global nuclear market, there has been increasing competition to build nuclear power plants in India.

The deal between France and India includes providing India with France's latest model of the European Pressurised Reactor as well as other civilian nuclear material. Supporters of the deal said that more nuclear plants in India could help reduce global demand for oil and gas while at the same time significantly reducing the country's pollution levels. Critics of the deal said it created a dangerous precedent as it allows India to expand its nuclear power industry without requiring it to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as other nations must. However, according to the French Presidency and the Indian government, the deal forms the basis for enlarged bilateral co-operation in the fields of energy and research.