What ails the India-US N-deal?

India has 15 nuclear plants, and another seven in various stages of completion. Six of these (including two under construction) are already under IAEA safeguards.

Most of the working ones serve both civilian and military use in varying degrees. Unplugging some of the reactors which also serve a military purpose from the power grid is difficult. Also, the proposed separation of not just facilities, but corresponding staff is a major logistical issue.

India's lethargy could torpedo N-deal

The Americans have already rejected India's tentative list of civilian sites as presented by Foreign Secretary Shayam Saran in Washington, DC, and then before US Under Secretary of State R Nicholas Burns on his trip to India, as 'too little'.

India unveils 'world's safest nuclear reactor'

Many Indian nuclear scientists and strategic thinkers argue that the proposed separation would cripple not just India’s nuclear weapons programme, but also the fast breeder reactor programmes, which need plutonium from the 13 Pressured Heavy Water Reactors in operation.

Also See: Now, an India-France nuke deal