Dr Philip Lewis, CEO of VaasaEtt Global Energy Think Tank, Finland

— India and Russia are two major economic powers going forwards

Russia and India have signed an agreement for the construction of four more reactors at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant and for cooperation at other sites. The agreement was signed in New Delhi during the official visit of President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev to India.

My expectation is that in the new climate, various countries will benefit from new found access to the Indian market. Demands on solutions will differ depending on the application. In some cases it may make more sense to continue an older technology or previous relationships. In other cases a greenfield approach may be more appropriate.

India has shown itself in recent years to be a country that values its independence and growing economic power. I think it is unlikely that India will become dependent on one or even two national alliances. France, the USA and Russia all have opportunities in this respect, although any alliance is naturally likely to be based on economics as much as matters of energy security.

I think the recent contracts between India and Russia are a clear indication of the willingness of India to cooperate with Russia, as they also are with other potential energy providers. India and Russia are two major economic powers going forwards and one can see many synergies between the countries in a nuclear energy and broader national context. India will have major energy demands which are arguably unlikely to be fulfilled without the assistance of a variety of nuclear cooperation. With regards to nuclear cooperation I would envisage Russia playing a key role.