IAEA
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the key agency to promote
cooperation in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear energy, an initiative
of President Eisenhower enunciated in his famous ‘Atoms for Peace’
speech. After approval of the IAEA Statute, on 23 October 1956 by 81
States, the Agency was created on July 29, 1957. As of April 2021, 173
States are members of IAEA, which employs 2560 multidisciplinary
professional and support staff from more than 100 countries.
The principal objective of the Agency is to “accelerate and enlarge the
contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the
world” and to ensure so far as it is able, “that assistance provided by it
or under its supervision or control is not used in such a way as to further
any military purpose”.
The Agency thus functions under two broad categories namely: (i) promotional
activities, which it is expected to carry out through technical assistance
to the interested Member States in areas of nuclear power, applications of
nuclear energy, strengthening of safety and security measures etc and (ii)
verification activities, which it carries out through implementation of
safeguards, which it can apply to a given State’s activities in the field of
atomic energy, at the request of that State.
Governance
The two Policy-Making Organs (PMOs) of the IAEA, each governed by its
respective rules of procedure, determine policy and oversee the main aspects
of the IAEA’s work. These include: (a) The General Conference of all
the IAEA member states, which convenes annually in September. It is the main
governing body of the Agency. It studies and approves the IAEA’s program and
budget, and makes decisions on matters brought to its attention by the Board
of Governors, the Director General or member states ; and (b) the
35-member Board of Governors, which generally meets five times a year. It
makes recommendations to the General Conference on the Agency’s program and
budget, authorizes the IAEA Director General to conclude and implement
safeguards agreements, considers reports by the DG, establishes safety
standards, and votes on resolutions. This body is also responsible for
appointing the Director General, with the agreement of the General
Conference.
For the 2021–2022 period, the new composition of the 35-member IAEA Board is
as follows: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, China,
Colombia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala,
India, Ireland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, New
Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, the Russian Federation, Senegal, Slovenia,
South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America
and Viet Nam. The current Chairman of the Board of Governors is
Ambassador Shin Chae-Hyun, from the Republic of Korea.
The Director-General of the IAEA is Mr. Rafael Mariano Grossi who assumed
office on 3 December 2019. Mr Grossi is a diplomat with over 35
years of experience in the field of non-proliferation and disarmament. In
2013, he was appointed Ambassador of Argentina to Austria
and Argentinian Representative to the IAEA and other Vienna-based
International Organizations.
India and the IAEA
India has played an active role in the IAEA since its inception. The
fa
ther of the Indian nuclear program, Dr. Homi Bhabha, was responsible for
Vienna’s selection as the seat of the Agency. Being a ‘designated Member’,
India has served on the Board of Governors of the IAEA since its inception,
other designated members being-Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Egypt,
Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, UK, and the US.
India has throughout underlined the importance of the Agency’s role in
the promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology including
nuclear power while maintaining due support for its safeguards related
responsibility. India actively participates in IAEA’s Advisory Groups and
Technical Committees. India also contributes to the Agency’s activities by
way of providing experts and conducting training programs, workshops and
occasionally providing equipment. India is one of the founder members
of the IAEA’s International Project on Innovative Reactors and Fuel Cycles –
INPRO and contributes the US $ 50,000 annually towards the program.
India has close cooperation with the Agency’s Programme of Action for Cancer
Therapy (PACT) and has donated the indigenous Bhabhatron radiotherapy
machine to several countries, most recent being an upgraded version to
Madagascar delivered in February 2021. India has a well-functioning National
Cancer Grid (NCG) of more than 200 cancer care centres, staffed with
specialists. India launched NCG Vishwam Cancer Care Connect in 2019. With
this, the NCG is open to cancer hospitals and other relevant institutions in
other countries. Eleven centres outside India are currently part of this
grid and we welcome more such centres to join. The objective is to remove
disparity in cancer care by sharing expertise and capabilities with other
countries. In addition to the NCG and at the bilateral level, India has been
supporting many countries in the their fight against cancer.
India is a party to Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS), Convention on Early
Notification of a nuclear accident, Convention on Assistance in the case of
a nuclear accident or radiological emergency and Convention on Physical
Protection of Nuclear Materials (CPPNM) and its 2005 amendment. India has
also signed the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage
(CSC). India is also a participant in the IAEA Illicit Trafficking Database
(ITDB).
India and the IAEA signed an Agreement for Application of Safeguards to
Civilian Nuclear facilities in India on 2 February 2009. The Agreement
entered into force on 11 May 2009. An Additional Protocol (AP) to the
Safeguards Agreement between the Government of India and the IAEA for the
Application of Safeguards to Civilian Nuclear Facilities entered into force
on 25 July 2014.
The then DG, IAEA, Mr. Yukiya Amano called on the Hon'ble PM, Mr. Narendra
Modi during his visit to India in March 2015.
Statements delivered by Indian delegation at IAEA
(all files are downloadable PDF)
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Board of Governor Statements
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GC statements
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September 2020: Statement by Dr. K.N. Vyas, Chairman, Atomic Energy
Commission and Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy of India At the
64th General Conference of IAEA
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September 2019: Statement by Mr. K N Vyas Chairman, Atomic Energy
Commission and Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy of India At 63rd
General Conference of IAEA
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September 2018 - Dr. Sekhar Basu, Chairman of the Atomic Energy
Commission and Leader of the Indian Delegation addressing 62nd
General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency,
Vienna on 19th September 2018
. Vienna
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September 2017 - Dr. Sekhar Basu, Chairman of the Atomic Energy
Commission and Leader of the Indian Delegation addressing 61st
General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency,
Vienna on 20th September 2017
. Vienna
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September 2016 - Dr. Sekhar Basu, Chairman of the Atomic Energy
Commission and Leader of the Indian Delegation addressing 60th General
Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency,
Vienna
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September 2015 - Dr. Ratan Kumar Sinha, Chairman of the Atomic Energy
Commission and Leader of the Indian Delegation addressing the 59th
General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency,
Vienna
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September 2014 - Dr. Ratan Kumar Sinha, Chairman of the Atomic Energy
Commission and Leader of the Indian Delegation addressing the 58th
General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency,
Vienna
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September 2013 - Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission
addressing the 57th General Conference of the International Atomic
Energy Agency
, Vienna
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July 2013 - Statement by Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s
Office HE Mr. V. Narayanasamy at the IAEA Ministerial Conference on
Nuclear Security on 1 July 2013,
Vienna
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June 2013 - Statement by Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission at the
2013 IAEA International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in the
21st century held on June 27-29, 2013
, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
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September 2012 - Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission addressing
the 56th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy
Agency
, Vienna
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September 2011 - Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission addressing
the 55th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy
Agency
, Vienna
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June 2011 - IAEA Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety (Statement
by Chairman AEC)
, Vienna
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September 2010 - 54th General Conference of IAEA (Statement by
Chairman, AEC),
Vienna
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September 2009 - 53rd General Conference of IAEA (Statement by
Chairman, AEC)
, Vienna
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October 2008 - 52th Session of General Conference of IAEA (Statement
by Chairman, AEC)
, Vienna
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September 2007 - 51th Session of General Conference of IAEA
(Statement by Chairman, AEC)
, Vienna
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September 2006 - 50th Session of General Conference of IAEA (Message
from Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh)
, Vienna.
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September 2006 - 50th Session of General Conference of IAEA
(Statement by Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission
and Leader of the Indian Delegation),
Vienna
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September 2005 - 49th Session of General Conference of IAEA
, Vienna
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September 2004 - 48th Session of General Conference of IAEA
, Vienna