Agreement on IAEA scrutiny of nuclear facilities comes into effect.

NEW DELHI: The Additional Protocol (AP) related to scrutiny of India's civilian nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), mandatory under the Indo-US nuclear deal, has finally come into force.

The Safeguards Agreement between the Indian Government and the IAEA for the Application of Safeguards to Civilian Nuclear Facilities entered into force on July 25, 2014, the IAEA said. It was signed by the two sides in 2009. India's Resident Representative Rajiva Misra handed over the notification on the fulfilment of India's constitutional and statutory requirements to IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano.

Amano, while receiving the notification, congratulated India on this important development and stated that this step also contributed to the Agency's intensified efforts to encourage more Member States to sign and ratify the Additional Protocol. Misra in his remarks stated that the Additional Protocol between India and the IAEA further strengthened confidence and trust between India and the Agency and was a positive outcome for both.

The Additional Protocol, signed between India and the IAEA on March 15, 2009, involves a high degree of scrutiny of nuclear facilities, including its reactors and fuel cycle sites, by the inspectors of the atomic energy body. India has already listed 20 of its sites as agreed between the two.

These includes six facilities in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle in Hyderabad, unit 1 and 2 and two more facilities in Tarapur in Maharashtra , units 1-6 of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station, units 1 and 2 of the Kudankulam and Kakrapar Atomic Power Station.

The move will help in facilitating multiple entries for the IAEA inspectors for conducting necessary inspections. Even the data transmitting that happens can be done with remote transmitting. Information about the nuclear exports would also be given to the IAEA so that cross verification could be done easily.

The ratification is also a signal by the Narendra Modi government to the world, particularly the US, that it is serious on implementation of the Indo-US nuclear deal, government sources said. Modi is scheduled to travel to Washington to meet President Barack Obama in September.

The sources pointed out that India wants to send a strong signal to the international community that it is a "serious and responsible" nuclear weapon state amid its keenness to become a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

"The entry into force of India's AP brings the number of States with APs to 124 and contributes to efforts aimed at achieving universal application of APs," the IAEA said.

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com