India’s nuclear deal with Russia is a good development, but nowhere near enough

Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia yielded 16 agreements ranging from defence, energy, space cooperation, manufacturing, and education. Of particular interest to some has been the announcement regarding the purchase of Russian nuclear reactors for Kudankulam as well as an as-yet-undecided site. Modi swept into office promising electrification and ample energy for all; his visit to the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in July 2014, just two months after taking office, his party’s manifesto promise of aggressively pursuing thorium reactor technology and deployment, and his discussions with US president Barack Obama in January 2015 — that led to a convoluted arrangement which partially resolved apprehensions about India’s nuclear nuclear liability law — indicated that the prime minister would actually deliver on his promises.