NEW DELHI: India and Japan are likely to sign a civil nuclear cooperation agreement during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Japan next week as the two sides completed the internal procedures for the much-awaited agreement.
The two countries had sealed a broad agreement for cooperation in civil nuclear energy during Japanese Prime Minister Shiozo Abe’s visit to New Delhi last December but the final deal was yet to be signed as certain technical and legal issues were to be sorted out.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said both the countries have completed the internal procedures including legal and technical aspects of the text of the pact.
When specifically asked whether the pact will be inked during Prime Minister Modi’s two-day visit beginning November 11, he only said, “I cannot pre-judge the outcome of the talks.”
There was political resistance in Japan to go ahead with a nuclear deal with India, particularly after the disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in 2011.
