With the Indo-US nuclear deal entering its last lap, India today said it has commenced preliminary dialogue with American companies for trade and is also moving towards finalising similar bilateral agreements with other friendly countries like France and Russia.
"Following the NSG statement which enables civil nuclear cooperation by NSG members with India, Government is taking steps to realise commercial cooperation with foreign partners in the field," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said in a statement.
He said New Delhi has informed Washington about its intent to source from the US the state-of-the-art nuclear technologies and facilities based on the 123 Agreement.
"Government is also moving towards finalising bilateral agreements with other friendly partner countries such as France and Russia," he said.
"While actual cooperation will commence after bilateral agreements like the 123 Agreement comes into force, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India has already commenced a preliminary dialogue with the US companies in this regard," Sarna said.
India has already concluded negotiations with France and Russia on bilateral civil nuclear agreements but these could not be signed as the NSG waiver was awaited.
The US today initiated the process for getting Congressional approval for the US-India civil nuclear cooperation agreement, better known as the 123 Agreement, by sending the text of the pact to the American Congress.
Once the 123 pact gets Congressional approval, it will be inked by the top leadership of the US and India, ending New Delhi's three decades of nuclear isolation.
