Why India Is Investing In Bangladesh’s Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant- Check Russia Connection | India News

During President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Delhi, Foreign Minister Vikram Misri on Friday emphasized the strong India-Russia partnership in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project in Bangladesh and stated that the initiative is jointly supported by both countries.

India and Russia had formalized their cooperation when the two sides signed the Action Plan on Prioritization and Implementation of Areas of Cooperation in the Nuclear Field, following the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Putin during the 19th Annual Bilateral Summit held in New Delhi in 2018. The agreement was signed by Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev and Chairman of the Indian Atomic Energy Commission Kamlesh Vyas.

Rooppur marks the first India-Russia cooperation in a third country, given that India, which is not a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, cannot directly build nuclear reactors abroad. Under the agreement, Russia has committed to offer advanced 3+ Generation VVER-1200 reactor technology while also expanding participation of Indian industry and local production.

The Rooppur project is expected to significantly strengthen the Make in India initiative by ensuring that nuclear fuel assemblies are manufactured in India and most equipment and materials for the facility are sourced domestically.

In 2021, External Affairs Minister Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that New Delhi will be involved in the development of transmission lines of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh worth over $1 billion.

According to ANI, Shringla said, “A significant portion of our third credit line will go to civil nuclear cooperation. The transmission lines of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will be developed by Indian companies within the scope of the credit line. The value of these transmission lines will be over $1 billion.”