"India Nuke Deals Still Thorny for Us Despite 'Breakthrough'"

"NEW DELHI — India and America's declaration of a breakthrough in contentious nuclear energy cooperation has been met with a lukewarm response from industry and analysts. Few expect the potentially lucrative Indian market to suddenly become less complicated for U.S. nuclear companies.

President Barack Obama's three-day visit to New Delhi raised hopes for concrete plans to tackle India's fossil fuel dependency and to resolve a four-year standoff over liability that prevented U.S. and Japanese nuclear energy development on Indian soil. Instead, there were vague commitments and public displays of chumminess between Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The two leaders said they agreed to advance a 2008 civil nuclear deal long stalled by concerns about India's reluctance to allow U.S. tracking of fissile material. It has also been held up by American concerns with an Indian law that makes U.S. nuclear suppliers, not operators of nuclear plants, liable for accidents."

Katy Daigle reports for the Associated Press January 27, 2015.