By Shayak Sengupta & Rama T. Ponangi
India’s nuclear isolation came to an end with the help of civilian nuclear deals with the United States and its allies. Yet Russia has more influence on the Indian nuclear power market. The war in Ukraine and the wave of Western sanctions on Russian exports raises concerns about India’s position. If India makes the unlikely decision of following the West to aggressively condemn Russia, India’s civilian nuclear energy, a crucial piece of the country’s strategy for energy security and clean energy transition, may also suffer.
Consequently, these dynamics require a reexamination of not only India’s civilian nuclear cooperation, but also the role of the United States in facilitating nuclear energy in India to reduce the latter’s dependence on Russia. Please check The Diplomat for more.