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DEAL

  • 30/12/2006

Delegates from more than 25 leading US companies, including GE, Westinghouse, Thorium Power, and Transco Power, were recently in India to sell nuclear power and defence-related technology. The delegates were a part of a deputation that included members from diverse areas, from information and technology to healthcare and telecom. "This is the biggest US trade delegation that has ever visited India,' Uni Menon of the US embassy said.

"It was expected that these companies would come, as the reason for the deal was purely commerce. But the primary problem is that of capital. To develop the envisaged 30,000 MW of nuclear energy capacity requires about US $50-60 million. This means big market. But it may not happen, as the Indian consumers may not be able to afford this cost that would be ultimately passed on to them,' says M V Ramana, who works on nuclear technology issues at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Environment and Development, Bangalore.

Meanwhile, the delegates also met prime minister office's top brass and looked at specific investment-related matters. They were keen on the terms of government liability in case of accidents, and how much of the atomic energy sector would be thrown open to foreign firms.

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