Posted on 01/25/2007 7:55:29 AM PST by IrishMike
NEW DELHI: President Vladimir Putin of Russia offered to build four new nuclear reactors for India on Thursday, cementing his country's traditional role as India's main nuclear benefactor.
A memorandum of understanding on the plants was signed by the heads of the Russian and Indian nuclear agencies after a meeting between Putin and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India.
Putin arrived in India on Thursday, hoping to use the two nations' friendship to push for deals in civilian nuclear cooperation, military hardware and trade expansion between the booming economies.
Russia has been eager to reassert its traditional role as the chief supplier of nuclear technology and know-how to India in the wake of a landmark civilian nuclear cooperation deal between New Delhi and Washington last year that appeared to give U.S. companies a strong position in India's nuclear market.
Russia is currently helping India build two 1,000-megawatt nuclear reactors in the southern town of Kudankulam.
The document said that the four new reactors would be built at Kudankulam and at other sites, but did not outline a timetable or other specifics.
Russia has in the past stood by India, supplying it with reactors and fuel even as it was denied Western technology for its refusal to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Speaking after their meeting, Singh thanked Russia for its support "in lifting international restrictions on nuclear cooperation and assisting India in the expansion of our nuclear energy program," and said nuclear energy was emerging as the most important aspect of India and Russia's "strategic partnership."
Energy cooperation is vital for India, which has struggled to supply power to an economy that has grown at more than 8 percent a year recently. Despite India's rapid recent development, power cuts remain frequent across the country.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
I want a nuclear reactor, too.
Now where did I put Putin's phone number......
A picture says a thousand words.
Pretty good business practice. Offer to sell them something you know will be destroyed as soon as it nears completion, get the money up front and save a ton of money on warranty repairs and services.....
Targets everywhere.
I would not fly on a russian plane, or drive in a russian car. Why on earth would anyone want to own a russian nuclear plant?
In this case the word is "Boom"
Vlad The Imploder ...
What else besides Vodka can russia offer any country in the world?
Put's gotta problem and is selling the only thing he can.
I was just thinking the same thing....why would anybody want one from Russia??? It's kinda like saying you want a car and getting offered a Pinto.
Their idea of reactor containment involves a purchase order for Bob's Aluminum Sheds.
Oil, Caviar, natural gas, MIGs, AK-47s, enriched uranium.........
I'm not a physicist, but what I was once told about Soviet nuclear reactors scared the hell out of me. In the West, we use heavy water to absorb excess neutrons and moderate the reaction of the fissile material. In the USSR, they used graphite. Graphite is cheaper. It can also catch fire.
No, I don't want any Russian engineering, thanks.
Regards, Ivan
Did someone say: BOB?!?!......
If you want access to long-range bombers or nuclear submarines & other advanced miltech from the
Russians,which is what India is looking at,buying a nuclear reactor or 2 makes a lot of sense to add weight to a deal.
India & numerous other countries have been operating Soviet designed reactors for decades & have had about the same sort of problems that any reactor would face...Barring cut-off of nuclear fuel supplies.
You probably also mean that the American designed reactors which will come soon come up near these Russian reactors in India are also targets....
"I want a nuclear reactor, too.
Now where did I put Putin's phone number......"
ROTFLOL!!
After Chernobyl,I am not sure I would want a Russian Nuclear Plant.
Better an American one.
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