New Delhi, 6 January 2025: In a significant shift in India-US relations, the United States is set to remove several Indian companies from its “entities list,” lifting long-standing restrictions that have prevented these firms from engaging in nuclear cooperation with the US and its allies. This move marks a key development in strengthening civil nuclear ties between the two nations.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan announced the update on Monday, stating that the US is nearing completion of the procedures to eliminate barriers hindering collaboration in the civil nuclear sector. This includes the removal of bans on major Indian entities like the Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Centre and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre—restrictions that had been in place for decades.
Sullivan explained, “Today, I can announce that the United States is now finalizing steps to remove long-standing regulations that have prevented civil nuclear cooperation between India’s leading nuclear entities and US companies.” He emphasized that this change represents a turning point in US-India relations. “This will allow us to turn the page on past frictions and open the door for deep collaboration,” he said at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, following a meeting with NSA Ajit Doval earlier in the day.
The Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement between the two countries was signed in March 2006, but until now, several Indian entities had been restricted from fully participating due to these longstanding sanctions. The imminent policy shift promises to foster collaboration between American and Indian companies, scientists, and technologists in the nuclear field.
Looking ahead, Sullivan noted that the removal of these restrictions is part of a broader strategy to deepen US-India cooperation in technology and space exploration.
“In the next decade, American and Indian firms will work together to develop cutting-edge semiconductor technologies, and our astronauts will join forces in groundbreaking space exploration efforts,” Sullivan stated.
This landmark decision signals a new chapter in the partnership between the two nations, fostering innovation and cooperation in some of the most important technological sectors of the 21st century.