NEW DELHI, FEB 22
Healthcare and energy are going to be an important focus area for PM Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump when they sit down for official talks on Tuesday. The two countries are likely to sign an MoU for strengthening cooperation on mental and emotional well-being. In the absence of a trade deal, the proposed agreement for nuclear reactors between US energy major Westinghouse and India’s Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) could turn out to be the biggest takeaway from Donald Trump’s first visit to India as president, official sources said.
Another MoU on strengthening cooperation in the generic medicine regime is also expected to be signed.
The first MoU is expected to allow India to learn from the US’ experience in a field marked by a serious lack of understanding here. It is also expected to facilitate greater access for Indian traditional therapies and medicines to the large US market.
“In India, there is a lack of understanding and caring for mental and emotional issues as health care issues, while in the US exists a strong culture of researching and treating mental and emotional well-being issues like health care issues. There is also a provision in this MoU to use traditional therapies and medicines to address mental well-being issues,’’ said a source on condition of anonymity.
On generic medicines, while the US is home to one of the largest markets in the world, India is a large producer of generic drugs. The MoU is expected to allow India to learn from one of the most sophisticated and advanced regimes on food and drug protocols and, as a source said, improve access for India’s generics in the US market as well benefit Indian consumers by ensuring higher standards of generic drug standard compliance.
India and the US also have ongoing cooperation in cancer research, prevention, control, management, and research and regular joint working group meetings are taking place on the same.
The Trump visit could mark the return after a long time of civil nuclear cooperation to the centre stage of India-US ties with the US looking to circumvent India’s liability law to sign a fresh agreement for supplying six reactors to India.
In the absence of a trade deal, the proposed agreement for nuclear reactors between US energy major Westinghouse and India’s Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) could turn out to be the biggest takeaway from Donald Trump’s first visit to India as president.
While there was no official announcement, sources said the US on Friday included energy secretary Dan Brouillette in the delegation which will accompany Trump. This is being seen as another sign that the two countries are close to finalising the agreement for six reactors in Andhra Pradesh.
US reservations over India’s Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act, 2010, and the fact that Westinghouse went bankrupt before being acquired by a Japanese company in 2018 only delayed civil nuclear cooperation with India. The government sees a nuclear partnership with the US as important for India’s energy security and one which adds significantly to its clean energy options. Officials, though, said any commercial agreement had to be consistent with India’s law and practice.
Official sources here said India has already done enough to address concerns in the US that CLND Act may make suppliers liable for any nuclear mishap. Indian officials have maintained that the liability law while ensuring strict liability, is channelled to the operator. They have also repeatedly told their US counterparts that India’s decision to create a nuclear insurance pool will considerably help in overall risk management. Without giving anything away on whether or not the MoU would be signed, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had said on Thursday that Westinghouse and NPCIL were involved in a discussion to build six 1,100 MW reactors at Kovvada, Andhra Pradesh.
