India interested in Russian N-fuel bank concept as a donor

A Russian initiative to establish an international nuclear fuel enrichment centre at Angarsk, Siberia may attract Indian participation, according to a top Indian nuclear official. Moscow has said the facility would offer low-enriched uranium "to any IAEA member country that honours its non-proliferation commitments."

According to the concept, the International Atomic Energy Agency would oversee the site, which would enable countries to purchase nuclear power plant fuel on an apolitical basis. The concept provides an alternative to developing fuel production capabilities that could also generate nuclear-weapon material.

"India is interested as a donor country and we are looking into it," Indian Atomic Energy Research Commission head Srikumar Banerjee said.

Although supporting the fuel bank is an "attractive" option, such collaboration would demand "very detailed techno commercial dealings which have not been completed," Banerjee added.

"We have to evaluate the facility, and economics here comes as a major factor," the official said. "It is not just a political arrangement, so I cannot straight away say that India is joining just now, but India has a capability of joining as an equal partner in some of these activities" Banerjee told Ria Novosti in an interview.

Meanwhile, Moscow and New Delhi have signed a deal for construction of atleast 12, and probably as many as 16 Russian nuclear reactors in India.

The deal was among several civil and military agreements signed during Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin's trip to the Indian capital.

Russia is already constructing two nuclear plants in India, which are close to commissioning, and has signed a contract for another four.