Germany eases export control laws for India's nuclear sector

New Delhi, Jun 18: Germany on Friday, June 17 announced easing of export control laws to allow India access to dual use items, marking a major development that will benefit the expanding nuclear energy sector here.

"India has been removed from the list of countries subject to national export control restrictions. Now, India will be treated by us just like any other EU country," German Ambassador Thomas Matussek told reporters here.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during a visit to Germany last year, had asked Chancellor Angela Merkel to relax export control laws to allow high technology trade with India.

The export control laws were modified by Germany a week before Merkel's May 31 visit to India.

"One week before the Chancellor's visit to India, Germany modified its export control legislation vis-a-vis India. We have repealed our national restrictions for the export of goods for nuclear power plants," Matussek said.

German industry has expertise in manufacturing turbines used in atomic power plants and nuclear safety equipment and is looking towards opportunities available in India's fast expanding nuclear sector.

Matussek said by removing India from the export control laws, Germany has acknowledged "India's excellent non-proliferation record" and added a new cornerstone to the strategic partnership.

He said Germany was ready to support India in joining the international export control regimes.

India and Germany hope to achieve 20 billion Euros trade target by 2012. Germany is India's largest trading partner in the 27-nation European Union.

PTI