The discussions over the next MoU for units five and six of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) are at an advanced stage within the government, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Friday. However, it did not confirm whether the MoU will be ready for signing when Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg next month.
“Discussions have been held on [the] Kudankulam [5 and 6] document. The process is at the stage of internal approval,” the MEA spokesperson said in a statement, indicating the MoU is at the final stages before it can be signed.
Bilateral talks
Mr. Modi is due to travel to Russia on June 1-3, where he has been invited as one of the chief guests at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), and he and President Putin will also hold bilateral talks.
The General Framework Agreement (GFA) and Credit Protocol for KNPP 5 and 6 to be built in Tamil Nadu is among the deals on the table that was expected to be signed, and has already missed a deadline in 2016. When the two leaders last met in October 2016, the India-Russia joint statement had noted their “intention to conclude the GFA and the Credit Protocol for Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) units 5 and 6 by the end of 2016”, which would be executed by Russia’s publicly owned ROSATOM and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL).
According to officials quoted by news agency Press Trust of India earlier this week, the GFA has been cleared by an inter-ministerial group and is with the Prime Minister’s Office at present, but that India had so far given no assurance it would be ready in time for PM Modi’s visit.
