| Year/Date |
Exporter |
Item(s) |
Remarks |
| 1949 |
France |
Technical assistance |
Indian Rare Earth (now Indian Rare Earth Limited [IREL]) and the French entities Societe de Produits Chimique and Banque Marocaine de Credit agree to construct a facility at Alwaye (Kerala) to extract thorium from monazite sand. |
| Late 1954-Early 1955 |
United Kingdom |
Six kilograms of enriched uranium fuel rods and technical assistance |
In exchange for the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) consideration to purchase a British reactor in the future, Dr. H. Bhabha obtains uranium fuel rods and technical data for a swimming pool-type research reactor. |
| February 1955 |
United States |
10 tons of heavy water |
The US Atomic Energy Commission agrees to sell heavy water for the proposed Canada-India-US (CIRUS) research reactor in Trombay. |
| August 1955 |
Canada |
Technical assistance |
Canada offers to build the 40MW CIRUS pressurized heavy water (PHW) research reactor and pay all foreign exchange costs for the $14 million project (eventual costs total $24 million). Although Canada does not require safeguards on the reactor, a secret clause states that India will only use the reactor for peaceful purposes. |
| October 1955 |
United Kingdom |
Reactor fuel elements and technical assistance |
The British Atomic Energy Commission declares it would be willing to provide all the necessary fuel elements for the CIRUS reactor. The UK also declares that it will give technical assistance for the Zerlina zero energy reactor. |
| 1955 |
United Kingdom |
Technical assistance |
Construction of the Aspara research reactor begins in Trombay using British blueprints. |
| 1955 |
United States |
Technical assistance |
Indian nuclear scientists and engineers are trained by US officials and given access to thousands of declassified papers and reports. |
| 16 March 1956 |
United States |
Four shipments of heavy water |
The United States and India sign a contract in which the United States agrees to sell heavy water for the CIRUS reactor. Under this agreement, the United States will provide four shipments of heavy water with the last consignment to arrive on 15 June 1956. One of these shipments constitutes 18.9 tons of heavy water and is provided without a safeguards mandate. |
| 28 April 1956 |
Canada |
Uranium fuel |
A nuclear cooperation agreement is signed between India and Canada. Canada agrees to supply half of the initial fuel needed for the CIRUS reactor. |
| 27 March 1961 |
United States |
Blueprints for a spent fuel reprocessing plant |
The US company Vitro International supplies India with blueprints for PUREX (plutonium-uranium extraction) reprocessing. This technical assistance is made possible through the Atoms for Peace program. Indians modify the blueprints during the construction of the plant in Trombay. |
| 1962 |
Soviet Union |
Technical assistance |
Two Soviet mining consultants visit Jaduguda to assist the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) with sinking the main shafts of uranium mines. |
| 1962 |
Unspecified |
Technical assistance |
76 Indian nuclear scientists are sent abroad for training. |
| April 1964 |
Canada |
Technical and monetary assistance and uranium fuel |
Canada agrees to give India blueprints for its CANDU pressurized heavy water power reactor (PHWR). This will assist India in building the first reactor of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS). The Canadian Government also extends a $37 million loan to New Delhi for this technology. A safeguards agreement between the two countries allows reciprocal inspection rights of RAPS and the Douglas Point Power Station in Ottawa. |
| October 1964-October 1969 |
United States |
Two 200MW boiling water reactors and monetary credit |
On 8 August 1963, the United States agrees to supply India with two boiling water reactors (BWR) for the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS). In exchange, India agrees to use only safeguarded enriched uranium fuel for the facility. The agreement also includes $80 million in US credit. General Electric, which signed an agreement with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) on 8 May 1963, begins building the BWRs in October 1964. The reactors commence commercial operations in October 1969. |
| Late 1965 |
United Kingdom |
Technical assistance |
The UK Atomic Energy Authority helps the Bhabha Atomic research Center (BARC) establish the Gauribidnur Seismic Station north of Bangalore. |
| December 1966 |
United States |
Small amount of plutonium |
India, the United States, and the IAEA sign an agreement that allows the United States to supply India with a small amount of plutonium for research purposes. |
| 16 December 1966 |
Canada |
Technical assistance |
Canada agrees to assist India in the construction of a second reactor at Rajasthan (RAPS-2). Strict IAEA safeguards are to be placed on the uranium fuel for this reactor. |
| 1969-1971 |
France |
Technical assistance |
A 67.2-ton annual capacity heavy water plant in Baroda is being built with French assistance. A consortium of French firms (GELPRA) supervises the design, engineering, and import of equipment for the plant's construction. |
| 1969 |
France |
Technical assistance |
As part of an agreement with the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, 30 Indian nuclear scientists, engineers, and technicians travel to France to work on designs for a fast breeder reactor. |
| June 1970 |
Spain, Sweden, and France |
Technical assistance |
Indian scientists visit these countries to study advances in uranium ore mining and exploration. |
| 1971-1972 |
Canada |
Two nitriding furnaces |
These were procured and commissioned for the nitriding of 17-4PH stainless steel components for fueling machines. |
| 1976-1996 |
Germany, Spain, Sweden, and other European countries |
Equipment for Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) |
Following the 1974 Pokhran peaceful nuclear test, India purchases the majority of equipment for the TAPS boiling water reactors (BWR) from Europe. |
| 1978-1979 |
United States |
Enriched uranium hexafluoride (UF6) |
The enriched uranium is used as a fuel source for the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS). It is fabricated into fuel elements by the Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC). |
| 1978-1979 |
France |
Technical assistance |
The Fast Breeder Test Reactor in Kalpakkam is being built with French assistance. The major components for the reactor are being produced indigenously. |
| 15 February 1980 |
Finland |
Technical assistance |
India and Finland sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) regarding Finnish technical assistance in building nuclear reactors in India. |
| 28 May 1980 |
Soviet Union |
Heavy water |
India receives the first consignment of heavy water from the USSR. In 1979, the Soviet Union agreed to supply India with 250 tons of heavy water. |
| 5 October 1980 |
United States |
19-ton batch of enriched uranium |
After numerous delays, the United States supplies the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) with enriched uranium pursuant to its 1963 pledge to provide the facility with 19 tons of enriched uranium annually. A second consignment of 19 tons is delayed indefinitely, however, due to India's refusal to accept full-scope safeguards for all its nuclear facilities. |
| May 1983 |
France |
19.5 tons of enriched uranium fuel |
Pursuant to an agreement signed in November 1982, France agrees to supply enriched uranium fuel for the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS). This first consignment arrives in May 1983. France halts fuel shipments in 1992. |
| 1983 |
Norway/West Germany |
27.5 tons of heavy water |
Norwegian heavy water intended for West Germany is reportedly diverted to Switzerland and then flown to India. The Indian Government refutes these claims. |
| 1983 |
Soviet Union |
4.7 tons of heavy water |
Soviet heavy water is combined with the 27.5 tons of Norwegian heavy water that is reportedly diverted to Switzerland. The shipment is then transferred to Mumbai by aircraft. |
| 1983-1984 |
Norway |
Six Type ND 100 and ND 500 computers |
The Norwegian firm Norsk Data sells these computers to the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) for $1.88 million. Norway insists that these computers must not be used in nuclear power plants. |
| 1984-1990 |
Norway |
Computers and technical assistance |
Norsk Data (ND) sells approximately 60 computers to India. Although most of these are produced in Norway, the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) receives the right to manufacture ND computers under a technology sharing agreement worth nearly $15 million. Norway later refuses further sales or transfers due to fears that its computers will be used for India's nuclear weapons program. |
| 20 March 1986 |
Norway/Romania |
12.5 tons of heavy water |
Norwegian-supplied heavy water for the CANDU pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWR) under construction in Cernavoda, Romania is reportedly re-exported to India in March 1986. India denies these claims. |
| Mid-1980s |
China |
Heavy water |
An Indian official denies claims by the US-based Natural Resources Defense Council that it illegally imported heavy water from China in order to commission three atomic reactors in 1985. An Indian official describes the allegations "utter nonsense." |
| 5 February 1988-5 January 1991 |
Soviet Union |
One Project 670A Skat Series (NATO designation "Charlie-class") nuclear attack submarine (SSN) |
The INS Chakra arrives in Vizag on 5 February 1988 as part of a three-year lease agreement with the USSR. It is supplied to India for "training purposes." The SSN is returned on 5 January 1991. |
| 1989 |
West Germany |
Beryllium |
India imports beryllium from West Germany. This material can be used in the production of nuclear weapons. |
| 8 April 1990 |
United States |
Cray supercomputer |
The United States decides to sell a supercomputer to India's Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore. The sale is made on the condition that it only be used for peaceful purposes. President George Bush approves the sale on 13 December 1990. |
| 15 June 1992 |
United Kingdom |
Technical assistance |
The Sunday Times (London) reports that the British entity GEC-Marconi "secretly exported nuclear and missile technology" to India. The firm's exporting branch supposedly tried to register equipment bound for the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) and the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) as medical research materials. India denies these claims. |
| January 1995 |
China |
30 tons of enriched uranium |
India announces that it is buying enriched uranium from China to fuel the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS). The initial shipment arrives on 5 January and reportedly concurs with IAEA safeguards. By 20 January, three consignments from China total 30 tons of enriched uranium. |
| 1996 |
United States |
One supercomputer |
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, acquires a supercomputer from Digital Equipment Corporation. |
| Mid-1990s |
Russia |
Technical assistance |
The Russian submarine entity Rubin is reportedly assisting the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) in developing a 90MW pressurized water reactor (PWR), and a double hull for India's nuclear-powered submarine (Advanced Technology Vessel [ATV]). |
| March 1997 |
Australia |
Technical assistance |
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ASNTO) offers to help the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) identify a location for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. This will reportedly be done using accelerator mass spectrometry technology. |
| 1998 |
Russia |
Technical assistance |
The Washington Post reports that India will begin construction of the its Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) or nuclear submarine within months with Russian assistance. |
| 1998-2001 |
United States |
Five nuclear pulse generators |
Despite the 1998 nuclear sanctions, the US firm Berkeley Nucleonics Corporation sold India at least five nuclear pulse generators. Executives of the California-based company are indicted by a San Francisco grand jury on 28 August 2001. |
| January and February 2001 |
Russia |
Low-enriched uranium (LEU) |
The LEU is supplied as a fuel source for the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS). Although the TAPS facility is under IAEA safeguards, the US Department of State claims that Moscow has broken its nonproliferation commitments. |
| 31 March 2002 |
Russia |
Technical assistance and reactor equipment, machinery, material, fuel, and spare parts |
In accordance with an Indo-Russian agreement of 12 February 2002, the construction of two VVER-1000MW reactors begins in Koodankulam (Tamil Nadu). The reactors will be completed over a five- to six-year period and media reports indicate that nearly 300 Russian companies are involved in the $1.5 billion project. Construction work for the project will be done by Indian personnel with Russian supervision. |
