The Civil Nuclear Liability Bill “deviates significantly” from international standards and renders equipment suppliers potentially liable for as long as 80 years, according to a new report, which also asks India to take quick and resolute action to resolve the issue.
The report Natural Allies: A Blueprint for the Future of US-India Relations says the law is a “major disappointment to private and public officials in the US”.
The report, co-authored by US under secretary of state for political affairs Nicolas Burns, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and scholar Richard Fontaine says the Indo-US nuclear agreement constituted a historic step forward in US-India ties and has become the cornerstone of the new partnership.
“Failure to complete the steps necessary to implement the agreement, however, risks severely damaging the rest of the relationship. Consequently, the United States and India must press vigorously for rapid implementation of the agreement,” it said.
“The Indian Parliament recently passed a nuclear liability law that deviates significantly from international standards and renders equipment suppliers potentially liable for as long as 80 years. This law is a major disappointment to private and public officials in the US, and India should take quick and resolute action to resolve this issue,” the report said.