Unlocking Potential of India-US Nuclear Deal

NSA Jake Sullivan on his recent capstone visit announced US efforts to finalise necessary steps to delist Indian nuclear entities, which will promote civil nuclear cooperation and resilient clean energy supply chains

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Nuclear tests worsened the situation. However, on the positive side, these challenges also created an opportunity for India and the US to engage in dialogue, looking at the ways to resolve their differences over nuclear and technology-related issues.

The India-US nuclear deal stands as the pinnacle of these conversations and engagements, serving as a foundation for deeper cooperation in high-tech fields during the Modi-Obama and Modi-Trump administrations.

But the next major step forward came with the launch of the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCTE), unveiled by India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his US counterpart Jake Sullivan in 2022.

The surge in artificial intelligence has fueled demand for huge computing powers and data centers that require vast amounts of electricity. As a result, nuclear power is now gaining appeal among tech giants facing rising energy needs. While it's uncertain how much nuclear energy will meet this demand, companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Google-parent Alphabet are betting big on nuclear power, with Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos backing such initiatives.

Though more expensive, nuclear energy is a clean form of energy. The Americans have yet to reap any commercial benefits from the nuclear deal for US companies. Of course, the India-US deal was embedded as part of the larger India-US global strategic partnership, touted as part of a transformed relationship between the two countries.