Nuclear power is the future of energy for India, said Russian Ambassador Alexander Kadakin, contending that even if the country buys all the oil in the world, it will not be sufficient for its energy requirements in the near future.
Kadakin was speaking to reporters after inaugurating the Russian consul office here Friday.
"Nuclear power is the only way out of the situation. It can make India self-sufficient in energy. Otherwise, even if India buys all the oil in the world, it would not be sufficient for its energy needs," Kadakin said,
Russia was already in talks with India to develop units three and four of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu and did not rule out collaboration as far as units five and six are concerned, he added.
The Kudankulam nuclear power project is one of the safest in the world, he said, adding that it could resist the strongest of tornados or even a plane crash.
The road ahead for India and Russian as far as cooperation on nuclear issues is concerned, Kadakin said, was "clear" in the sense that India has to be made self-sufficient in its energy needs.
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Stressing the strong bonds between the two countries, Kadakin said it had stood by India at a time when several countries had imposed sanctions on it, following the nuclear blasts at Pokhran in 1998.
Both Russia and India were "quietly" building the Kudankulam nuclear reactor at a time when "certain" countries had imposed sanctions on India.
Kadakin hinted that India should reciprocate to Russian gestures and not put the country on the same pedestal as other countries, especially those which had imposed sanctions after Pokhran II.