New Delhi: Just ahead of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to India where she will hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday, Berlin decided to shut all its nuclear power reactors by 2022. The decision is expected to have wide-ranging ramifications in India as those opposed to nuclear power, including the movement at Jaitapur, will claim vindication in what is being described as a drastic reversal of policy by Germany.
Sources said though that Germany has assured India that it would continue to be a reliable hightechnology supplier in the field of nuclear safety ahead of Merkels visit. German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle, who met his counterpart S M Krishna in Delhi on Monday ahead of Merkel visit, said he knew India was watching the European nation closely. “They are noticing that we in Germany are rethinking our energy policy,” Westerwelle said. “Maybe not everything is understood, but the interest in renewable energy is great,” he said, adding that the partnership with India in this field can be very successful because Germany is already the leader in solar and wind energy. More than 22% of Germany’s energy supplies come through nuclear power.
India had for the first time discussed the possibility of civil nuclear cooperation with Germany during Singh’s visit to Berlin in last December. After the nuclear accident in Japan though, Merkel ordered a review of all German nuclear reactors. Germany on Monday decided not to refurbish any of its nuclear reactors. These reactors are expected to exhaust themselves by 2022.
Announcing that India was discussing civil nuclear cooperation with Germany, Singh had said in December that India valued Germany’s support in Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) “for the opening of international commerce for India in the field of civil nuclear energy”. Merkel, too, had emphasized on Germany’s preparedness to deepen its strategic partnership with India which, she said, could also involve working together on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Government officials maintain that Germany’s competitiveness in this sector and its nuclear safety technology could help India’s civil nuclear programme greatly. Germany has also supported India’s bid for NSG membership.
Asked if the issue of civil nuclear cooperation will also be raised during the meeting on Tuesday, joint secretary (Europe) in MEA T P Seetharam said India always looks for partners and it will be open in its discussions. “However, given Germany’s domestic sentiment, it’s up to them,” he added.
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