India is familiar with foreigners coming into the country wanting to sell nuclear equipment and expertise, but the business potential that Indian companies have in the overseas market, is something generally overlooked.

“Collaboration is a two-way street,” observes Mr Keith Parker, CEO of UK's Nuclear Industry Association. The NIA represents over 200 UK companies across the nuclear supply chain and the association has been in India for three days taking stock of the collaboration possibilities.

Mr Parker told Business Line here today that the UK has plans to add 16,000 MW of nuclear power (to its existing 17,000 MW) over the next 15 years — some 10 stations across five sites.

NIA, which held talks with the Planning Commission and companies such as BHEL, NPCIL and L&T, found that these companies are interested in participating in business opportunities in the UK.

They are welcome, says Mr Parker. After all, nuclear Britain is marked as much by foreign companies — though mostly European — as by British companies.

Mr Parker said the Planning Commission showed keen interest in British help in the “skills and research” area. Indeed, six joint research projects are going on between the two countries.

Mr Parker declined to comment on the Indian stand that equipment suppliers must share liability with the operator of the nuclear power plant in case of a mishap, but observed that the global practice — including in the UK — was to freeze the liability on the operator.

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