French parliament ratifies Indo-French nuclear pact
27 Nov 2009
Indo-French ties crossed a significant milestone on Friday when the French Parliament unanimously adopted the Indo-French civil nuclear agreement clearing the way for French companies to set up nuclear power plants in India.
The French National Assembly adopted a law on Tuesday that authorised the ratification of the Cooperation Agreement between India and France on the Development of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, a French Embassy statement said.
The French Senate had adopted the law on 15 October.
In a statement on the development, the French embassy in New Delhi said the unanimous vote by both assemblies was an important milestone in the development of the civilian nuclear cooperation between France and India.
France was the first country to sign a civil nuclear cooperation pact with India days after the international trade embargo in nuclear trade was lifted last year.
French nuclear supplier Areva will build two power plants initially at designated nuclear project sites at Jaitapur in Maharashtra. Each plant, for which the actual contract will be signed early next year, will have a capacity of 1,600 MW.
Areva will build a total of six nuclear power plants at Jaitapur.
