The last week has seen a burst of activity around commercial nuclear power generation in India.

Supplies of enriched uranium for India’s fuel-starved nuclear power plants are expected from France in the next few months. US companies such as Westinghouse are exploring business opportunities with private companies and the Nuclear Power Corp. of India Ltd. Delegations from Canada and the UK are expected to visit the country soon.

It is time we used the deal to our advantage. Agreements with companies, be they from the US or anywhere else, should not be signed if they impose any restrictions (such as those on data/information) that may hamper the operation of N-power plants later on. As the deal with the Nuclear Suppliers Group does not bar the transfer of enrichment and reprocessing technologies, lucrative contracts should be signed only if we can get access to these technologies. 

In a global slump, the West needs our business. We can afford to be selective and wait for the best deals.