Japan, India to set up working group for energy policy cooperation+

NEW DELHI, April 30 Kyodo -
Japan and India agreed Friday to establish a joint working group to exchange
information on their energy policies, a move that Tokyo hopes will help pitch
Japanese expertise on nuclear power generation into one of Asia's leading
developing economies.
India is planning to construct 20 nuclear power plants by 2020, and Japanese
Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Masayuki Naoshima is visiting New Delhi as
part of efforts to have more Japanese companies involved in large-scale
development projects on the back of strong economic growth in India.
The agreement came as Naoshima met Deputy Chairman of India's Planning
Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia. ''I think it would be very useful (for
India) to adopt Japanese technologies and expertise on atomic power
generation,'' Naoshima told reporter after the meeting.
The minister's visit to India is widely seen as reflecting Japan's sense of
urgency as it lags behind other developed countries in winning contracts for
large infrastructure projects in Asia's developing economies.
In line with the plant construction plan, India has signed accords for
technical assistance with the United States, France and others, according to
the Japanese industry ministry.
The Japanese government may face opposition, though, over exporting such
technologies to India from those urging New Delhi to join the international
framework for peaceful use of nuclear technology by signing the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty under the United Nations.
As a possible next step, Japan is likely to explore pathways to negotiations
with India for a deal that would boost bilateral civilian nuclear cooperation.
At the Friday meeting, Japan and India also formally agreed on the construction
by a group of Japanese firms of an energy infrastructure in India, including
information technology-backed ''smart grid'' advanced power transmission
networks.
==Kyodo
2010-04-30 23:27:50


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