Nuclear Safety in India :

The Balancing Rope of Domestic Energy Demand and International Safeguards Regime

Abstract

Ever since the Fukushima incident, civilian nuclear energy in India has been a matter of great contestation, leading to several debates on domestic plant safety, disaster preparedness and ability to contain any such radioactive leakage through natural or man made disasters. In this regard, India ratified the Additional Protocol under the condition that civilian nuclear facilities will be separated from the military facilities and be compliant with IAEA safeguards. This compromise, while not being a signatory to the Non Proliferation Treaty and considered as a Non Nuclear Weapons State, has been a challenge and forced acceptance of opening up nuclear facilities which were earlier a state protected entity without external access. This paper offers a brief outlook into the history of Additional Protocol as an international safeguards measure adopted by India while examining the relevant provisions within the context of Additional Protocol. Further, an overview of India’s energy demand and consumption specific to the nuclear sector is analysed. Finally, a legal framework of nuclear safety in India covering separation, inspection and sampling of nuclear facilities to arrest proliferation and maintain plant safety will be addressed.