Friday, April 11, 2008 - Web posted at 8:12:26 GMTNamibia on...

Friday, April 11, 2008 - Web posted at 8:12:26 GMT

Namibia on Indian radar for uranium

NEW DELHI - With the indigenous atomic power programme starving for fuel and the Indo-US nuclear deal on the backburner, the Government is exploring the option of sourcing uranium from non-NSG countries.

The NSG countries are a 45-member group known as the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

Namibia, where India has initiated talks for exploring a long-term relationship in uranium supply, and Niger, are on the radar.

According to Government sources, India's request for sourcing uranium has been conveyed to Namibian Prime Minister Nahas Angula.

Progress on the matter is being reviewed at the highest level.

The Atomic Energy Commission Chairman, Anil Kakodkar, has been updated on the response from the African nation, sources said.

India is currently restricted from sourcing uranium from the 45-member NSG nations, which control global nuclear commerce, as it is outside the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Namibia, Niger and Uzbekistan are the three major non-NSG countries producing sizeable amounts of uranium.

A stumbling block in India's bid, however, could be that both countries are signatories to the African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty, which aims to establish a nuke-free zone in Africa.

The Indo-US civilian nuclear deal seeks to bring in a special exemption for India from the NSG precondition, but progress on the pact has been slow in light of domestic opposition from the Government's Left allies to it, because of which India has also been unable to finalise country-specific safeguards with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The NSG has also yet to formally consider a possible exemption for India from NSG's restrictive rules.

According to experts, once the 1996 African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty (the Treaty of Pelindaba) comes into force, there is the possibility of these member nations seeking full-scope safeguards for any transfer of nuclear material to non-Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty states, including India.

Nuclear energy contributes less than three per cent of the country's installed generation capacity.

India is not well endowed with uranium ore and the short supply of the fuel is becoming the stumbling block for the rapid expansion of nuclear power in India.

The Hindu Business Line