Support for India's search for N-energy THE smooth finalisation of the India-Russia agreement for cooperation in building nuclear power plants at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu is one more proof of the close relationship between the two countries. It could have been signed during the two-day visit of Russian Prime Minister Victor Zubko to New Delhi that concluded on Wednesday had India-specific safeguards accord with the International Atomic Energy Agency been there with a nod from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). It is encouraging for India that Russia, like France and the UK, has been supporting India's search for nuclear energy through the Indo-US deal that remains to be operationalised. In fact, it was Russia that proposed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with India during Dr Manmohan Singh's visit to Moscow last November. But India expressed its inability to go ahead till it was allowed by the NSG to have nuclear trade with any country. Incidentally, Russia is the only country which has been helping India in building two 1000-MW nuclear reactors at Kudankulam. The strategically significant project is the result of an agreement signed between India and Russia in 1988. Moscow is ready to go in for the construction of four new nuclear reactors as soon as India is in a position to sign a deal with it. While this will enable India to meet its increasing energy needs, Russia will get huge benefits from it in terms of trade. It is a two-way traffic, but India cannot afford to lose the opportunity because it cannot depend on the traditional sources of power forever for speedy industrial growth. India has to build infrastructure for large-scale nuclear energy generation. Russia is keen on enhancing its trade with India, which is very little compared to that with China or the European Union. Efforts are on to bring India-Russia trade to the level of $10 billion by 2010 whereas trade volume between Russia and China last year stood at $35 billion. Russia hopes to increase its business deals with India. Enhanced cooperation between the two countries in the area of nuclear energy can help achieve that goal.