US to remove remaining hurdles in 2005 civilian N-deal with India

Ahead of the change of guard at the White House on January 20, 2025, the US announced that it would remove all remaining hurdles in the 2005 civilian nuclear deal that prevented cooperation between American and Indian entities.

- AROONIM BHUYAN

"Although former (US) President (George) Bush and former Prime Minister (Manmohan) Singh laid out a vision of civil-nuclear cooperation 20 years ago, we have yet to fully realise it," outgoing US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said during a public address at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi on January 6.

"But as we work to build clean energy technologies, to enable growth in artificial intelligence, and to help US and Indian energy companies unlock their innovation potential, the (former US President Joe) Biden administration determined it was time to take the next major step in cementing this partnership," Sullivan said. "So today I can announce that the United States is now finalising the necessary steps to remove longstanding regulations that have prevented civil nuclear cooperation between India's leading nuclear entities and US companies." According to a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry following a meeting between Sullivan and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval on January 6, the US will finalise necessary steps to delist Indian nuclear entities, which will promote civil nuclear cooperation and resilient clean energy supply chains.