India And UAE Forge Historic Civil Nuclear Pact: NPCIL To Lead Operations At Arab World’s First Commercial Nuclear Facility

In a historic first, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a landmark agreement on Monday (9 September) for civil nuclear cooperation. This agreement was sealed during the visit of Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, to India.

At the heart of this pact is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), for cooperation in the “operations and maintenance” of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant.

Located in Al Dhafra, along the Arabian Gulf, the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant is the first commercial nuclear facility in the Arab world.

With four Advanced Power Reactor (APR)-1400 pressurised water reactors, each capable of generating up to 1,400 MW of clean electricity, the plant is expected to supply 25 per cent of the UAE’s electricity for the next six decades.

Built by Korea Electric Power Corporation for $20 billion, Barakah has reached full-fleet operations, with its fourth reactor entering commercial service on 5 September.

Diplomatic insiders have noted that the recent agreement between India’s NPCIL and the ENEC is groundbreaking. It stems from a 2015 commitment made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE, where both nations agreed to cooperate in the “peaceful use of nuclear energy”, including in areas of “safety, health, agriculture, and science and technology".

The NPCIL-ENEC agreement is part of the UAE’s policy of expanding investments in the nuclear energy sector. While NPCIL operates as a public sector enterprise under India’s Department of Atomic Energy, ENEC is fully owned by Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company PJSC, which is wholly owned by the UAE government.

The NPCIL-ENEC MoU on nuclear cooperation is expected to enhance cooperation in the operation and maintenance of nuclear power plants, sourcing nuclear goods and services from India, exploring mutual investment opportunities and capacity building, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Civil nuclear cooperation, like the one between India and the UAE, facilitates peaceful nuclear technology sharing. This includes energy production, regulatory and safety protocols, nuclear fuel supply, and ensuring global non-proliferation.

India’s civil nuclear programme, which focuses on generating electricity and other peaceful uses, has seen similar partnerships with major powers such as the US, France, Japan, and Russia, showcasing the country’s growing leadership in the global nuclear energy arena.