India needs a public-private civilian nuclear strategy

Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008

India needs a public-private civilian nuclear strategy that establishes sound, transparent policies that lay the groundwork for large scale and competitive electricity production, said United States Ambassador to India Dr David Mulford.

He was delivering the keynote address on Indias Civilian Nuclear Passport at the conference on Indo-US Co-operation in Nuclear Energy: The Path Forward, organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in New Delhi today.India-US civil nuclear deal is a historic accomplishment. We all know about its many advantages and the potential it holds for Indias future development, he said adding, However, as satisfying as this great accomplishment is, we have to face the fact that what comes next will be no less difficult than what has already been achieved.

Mulford, however, cautioned that building a large, world class, civil nuclear industry in India will take time, capital, ingenuity, competitive technology, a sound regulatory architecture, private sector input, and a true political commitment to excellence.