M A I N   N E W S

India assuages US concerns on N-deal
Signs Convention on Supplementary Compensation at IAEA in Vienna
TNS & Reuters

Eye on civil nuclear energy The convention Provides for the establishment of an international fund for compensation in case of trans-national implications of a nuclear accident. Will establish a uniform global regime for compensation to victims in the event of a nuclear accident. Allows for compensating civil damage occurring within a state’s exclusive economic zone, including loss of tourism, fisheries etc. The benefits India would now be able to get clean and affordable electricity to meet its growing needs. There will be parameters on a nuclear operator’s financial liability, time limits governing possible legal action The hiccups Though signed by 14 countries, only four nations -- the US, Argentina, Morocco and Romania -- have ratified the convention so far. The entry of firms like General Electric and Westinghouse Electric, a US-based unit of Toshiba, is seen as uncertain unless India provides more clarity on liability for private operators.

New Delhi/Vienna, October 27
Barely days before US President Barack Obama arrives here, India today signed the Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC) at the IAEA in Vienna that will enable the country to undertake nuclear commerce.

The convention that sets parameters on a nuclear operator’s financial liability in the event of a nuclear accident was signed by Dinkar Khullar, India’s Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to the IAEA, on the behalf of the Government of India.

New Delhi signing the convention 10 days before President Obama visits India is clearly aimed at allaying concerns expressed by the American nuclear companies about the civil nuclear liability bill, which was recently passed by Parliament.

The US promptly took note of India signing the convention, with American Ambassador Timothy Roemer stating the move would bring benefits to Indian people and nuclear suppliers. India would now be able to get clean and affordable electricity to meet its growing needs, he added.

India had been holding informal consultations with the IAEA on the convention for the past few weeks and all technical issues have been clarified. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is believed to have given the go-ahead for signing it from Tokyo on Monday and formal instructions were issued to the Indian mission in Vienna yesterday.

The convention was adopted in September 1997 and opened for signature at Vienna a few days later at the 41st General Conference of the IAEA. The convention provides for compensation in case of trans-national implications of a nuclear accident and has been signed by 14 countries. However, only four countries -- the US, Argentina, Morocco and Romania -- have ratified it so far.

Upon entry into force, the convention would establish a uniform global regime for compensation to victims in the event of a nuclear accident. The CSC provides for the establishment of an international fund to increase the amount available to compensate victims and allows for compensating civil damage occurring within a state’s exclusive economic zone, including the loss of tourism and fisheries-related income.

It also sets parameters on a nuclear operator’s financial liability, time limits governing possible legal action, requires that nuclear operators maintain insurance or other financial security measures and provides for a single competent court to hear claims.

The IAEA says all states are free to participate in the convention regardless of their involvement in existing nuclear liability conventions or the presence of nuclear installations on their territories.

Notably, India is the only country to have such a provision, which was added after wide political pressure.

The entry of firms like General Electric and Westinghouse Electric, a US-based unit of Toshiba, is seen as uncertain unless India provides more clarity on compensation liability for private operators. The United States has pressed India to accede to the multilateral Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC) to assure its suppliers that any liabilities would be in line with international norms.

There is some fear in India, which needs investment to fuel its rapidly growing economy, that signing the treaty could dilute its domestic provisions for supplier responsibility. But most commentators say it will help reassure American firms that India is part of a global grid on nuclear commerce.

“The CSC is silent on the right to recourse or on the limitations. By itself the CSC does not help American companies,” said political analyst Praful Biwai.

Yale tie-up with IIT, IIM today
Aditi Tandon/TNS

New Delhi, October 27
The first part of the Singh-Obama 21st Century Knowledge Initiative will be operationalised tomorrow when Yale University enters into an agreement with two top Indian higher educational institutes to develop leadership modules for academics.

The initiative was announced last year during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s US visit. It seeks to build partnerships between Indian and American varsities.

The process of formally starting a collaboration will begin tomorrow when the visiting president of Yale University Richard Lewin signs a memorandum of understanding with the directors of IIT Kanpur and IIM Kozhikode to set up two Centres of Excellence in Academic Leadership — one each at the IIT Extension Centre in Noida and IIM Kozhikode campus.

Under the agreement, the Indian institutes will share with Yale their research knowledge in technical, management and scientific areas. In turn, they will get academic leadership training from US experts, who will come to deliver the objective under the MoU, which will be called the Yale India Leadership Programme and will have an initial financial commitment of Rs 4 crore.

The initiative was prioritised last year during the Indo-US Strategic Dialogue when education was put among the priority areas for collaboration.

Back in the Ministry of HRD, officials today told The Tribune that the initiative would broadly have three components - faculty development, leadership development (which Yale-India initiative will help) and vocational development - through community colleges to be set up at different places. “At these colleges, we will have US experts coming in to impart training to our faculty and academics,” officials said.