Ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the US, India has notified its Separation Plan to IAEA under which 14 of its 22 reactors will be placed under safeguards of the international nuclear watchdog by 2014.

The notification formalities were completed last night, a crucial step in paving the way for the implementation of international civil nuclear cooperation, Department of Atomic Energy sources said.

It comes almost 14 months after the 35-member board of governors of the IAEA approved the India-specific nuclear safeguards agreement.

Singh will be undertaking the first state visit to the US in the Obama Administration from November 23 and high on his priority is ironing out the creases for implementation of the landmark civil nuclear cooperation agreement between the two countries.

The notification is expected to help in the ongoing negotiations for the important reprocessing accord that is at an advanced stage and the two countries are looking at the possibility of firming it up during Singh’s visit.

President Barack Obama has said he is looking forward to his meeting with Singh. The two sides are hoping for substantive talks and working in the direction of taking Indo-US ties to new heights.

In the run-up to Singh’s visit, National Security Advisor is expected to travel to Washington later this month for talks on a whole range of issues.

The India Specific Safeguards Agreement (ISSA) or the ‘umbrella’ agreement approved by consensus by the IAEA Board on August 1 last year can now enter into force separating India’s civilian and strategic nuclear establishments.

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