India, Russia likely to ink pact on Kudankulam during PM visit

In a move to scale up cooperation in the nuclear energy sector, India and Russia are likely to sign an agreement on Kudankulam units 5 and 6 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Eurasian country from Wednesday. 

Sources said the government is also planning to make optimum use of the available nuclear sites in various states to accommodate more atomic reactors to meet energy-starved country’s growing needs.

Modi is scheduled to visit Russia from December 23-24 to hold an annual summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

It must be noted that Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Rosatom – the Russian counterpart of the India’s Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) – Nikolai Spasskiy had visited India on December 7-8, during which he is believed to have held negotiations with Sekhar Basu, Secretary DAE regarding the pact.