India to open 14 nuke reactors to intl inspection

After hard bargaining on the nuclear deal with the US, India today agreed that 14 of its civilian nuclear reactors will be open to international safeguards while the fast breeder programme will not be subject to outside inspection.

High level official sources said after talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President George W bush that India has made it clear that classification of nuclear reactors to be built in the future will be its sole decision and there would be no debate on it.

Details of the separation plan as also the assurances given by the US under the deal will be outlined by the Prime Minister in  the Parliament soon, the sources said.

They said the separation of India's 22 nuclear reactors will be undertaken in a phased manner and completed by 2014.