India, US to work out details of N-energy trade this week

A team from the US State and Energy departments and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will arrive in New Delhi late Sunday, a US embassy spokesman said.

"The talks will be spread over three days beginning Monday," the spokesman said. It "reflects a desire to establish a framework for broad-ranging peaceful nuclear cooperation."

According to an article posted on the US State Department website, the agreement reached during US President George W. Bush's visit to India in March paves the way for sanctions on the sale of civilian nuclear technology sales to India to be lifted.

India tested nuclear weapons in 1974 and 1998 and has been banned by the United States and other countries from buying fuel for reactors and other related equipment as a result.

The March deal, still awaiting a green light from the US Congress, will allow India access to civilian nuclear technology by amending the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954.