Mathew, Thomas et al

Summary
The vision for the development of nuclear energy in India is not new. It dates back to pre-independence days. The nation had embarked on the development of large-scale infrastructure for nuclear power generation and building scientific-technological base for it. The process of the development of nuclear energy was, however, not smooth. It had to overcome enormous difficulties to reach the present stage. The obstacles it had to face were primarily due to the technology denial regimes adopted by various nations that either had the expertise or had harnessed nuclear energy.
The objective of this task force has been to study the existing national and international frameworks, regulations and norms and make recommendations to strengthen the former. The study covers the following areas:
– the prospects for nuclear energy development in India and the possible trajectory India’s civilian nuclear energy programme could take
– a survey of the best international practices relating to safety, security, liability management and ENR transfer operations and suitable recommendations there for
– the existing legal and institutional structures in India and the need to build a nuclear regime in the country that would be more responsive and accountable to the concerns and needs of the public
– the need for Indian government to enact a nuclear liability act to make it a partner in the international nuclear regime.
– recommendations
It is hoped that this task force would generate further discussions on the subject of the development of nuclear energy in India and the possible steps that it would have to take to make the generation of the power from atom safe and secure.
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