India, US to deepen nuclear co-op, explore LPG exports

Washington: India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri discussed furthering energy cooperation with the US in nuclear power and new areas such as coal gasification and LPG exports in his meeting with US Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

Misri’s discussion with Wright focused on “advancing energy security, deepening bilateral energy trade, and identifying new avenues to strengthen the India-US Energy Partnership”, the Indian Embassy in Washington said in a social media post on Friday.

US Ambassador to India, Sergei Gor, who was also present at the meeting, said America was ready to cooperate with India on civil nuclear cooperation in addition to other areas, such as coal gasification and US LPG exports.

“Great to spend this (Friday) morning with Secretary­ Wright and FS Vikram Misri to discuss the future of US-India energy cooperation. After India’s historic passage of the SHANTI bill, we are ready to cooperate on civil nuclear in addition to other areas such as coal gasification and US LPG exports,” Gor said in a social media post.

Later on Friday night, he hosted Misri at US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. “It was a pleasure to host Vikram Misri tonight at Mar a Lago! From trade and defence to energy, India and the US stand ready to work closely together in the months and years ahead.”

The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy Act (SHANTI Act) is considered the most sweeping reform in the civil nuclear sector in India.

The law, which came into force last Dec, opens up the tightly-controlled civil nuclear space for private participation. It repealed the Atomic Energy Act of 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010. India’s Air Chief Marshal AP Singh was also on a trip to the US and visited the Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Spr­ings on Wedne­sday. He interacted with Gen Gregory M Guillot for a productive excha­nge of perspectives on complex operational modalities, reflecting the strength of the growing partnership, the IAF said. —PTI