The crucial talks for finalising a pact on the arrangements and procedures for reprocessing US-origin spent fuel have ended without any significant progress, sources said here.
A team of US officials, led by Richard Stratford, Director, Office of Nuclear Energy Affairs in the US State Department held discussions with their Indian counterparts led by R B Grover, Director, Strategic Planning Group in the
Department of Atomic Energy, late last week.
DAE officials said that no significant progress was made during the talks and further talks could be held when Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits the US for the Nuclear Security Summit next month.
It is understood that the talks are expected to conclude only after the nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference scheduled for May.
The talks were understood to have revolved around issues like setting up of a dedicated facility to reprocess nuclear fuel sourced from global vendors, its security and suspension of reprocessing in certain circumstances.
Once the talks are clinched, it would allow India to reprocess US-origin spent fuel for its civilian programme and will serve as a template for similar pacts with other nations.