Largest reserves of Thorium anywhere in the world are found in this location, which is 'internal waters' of India and Sri Lanka - and both contries have signed a treaty to the effect.
Indian scientists have announced some important milestones on developing Thorium-based reactors. Dr. Kalam announced this a few months back. If this technology becomes succesful, India will have no, or very limited, dependance upon US/France/Australia for Uranium. India will still need some Uranium for the process.
After low-hanging Uranium reserves are depleted/become expensive, world will turn to Thorium-based processed fuel. Maybe in next 50 years. Energy balance will fast change then.
So, USA maintained that these waters are NOT domestic or internal to India/SL. Do not site any reason or justification, but keeps sending its Naval Ships to this region once a year, as the operative assertion. See the discovery of one such notification from US Navy earlier in this thread.
Indirectly related to this, Largest Nuclear Vessel in the world - USS Nimitz was docked near Chennai for a month doing 'social service', and is off to do naval exercises in Bay of Bengal since last week.
US has shown active diplomacy in the Indian Ocean region in recent times, including doing port and naval modernization exercises in Sri Lanka; showing diplomatic interests (tacitly) in Malaca-Strait policing etc.
The US-India Nuclear deal, in its present form, has enough bells and whistles to control India's nuclear energy policy.
Cabinet has cleared the coastal-sand mining in Kerala for private sector exporters. An RTI petition recently showed that the exported sand does have thorium in it.
One must see the Rama-Setu-Destruction / Setu Samudram Project from the larger Energy and Geo Politic perspective, especially US's interest in it.
Everything has happened within a span of 6 months - aparently unconnected looking events.
Indian scientists have announced some important milestones on developing Thorium-based reactors. Dr. Kalam announced this a few months back. If this technology becomes succesful, India will have no, or very limited, dependance upon US/France/Australia for Uranium. India will still need some Uranium for the process.
After low-hanging Uranium reserves are depleted/become expensive, world will turn to Thorium-based processed fuel. Maybe in next 50 years. Energy balance will fast change then.
So, USA maintained that these waters are NOT domestic or internal to India/SL. Do not site any reason or justification, but keeps sending its Naval Ships to this region once a year, as the operative assertion. See the discovery of one such notification from US Navy earlier in this thread.
Indirectly related to this, Largest Nuclear Vessel in the world - USS Nimitz was docked near Chennai for a month doing 'social service', and is off to do naval exercises in Bay of Bengal since last week.
US has shown active diplomacy in the Indian Ocean region in recent times, including doing port and naval modernization exercises in Sri Lanka; showing diplomatic interests (tacitly) in Malaca-Strait policing etc.
The US-India Nuclear deal, in its present form, has enough bells and whistles to control India's nuclear energy policy.
Cabinet has cleared the coastal-sand mining in Kerala for private sector exporters. An RTI petition recently showed that the exported sand does have thorium in it.
One must see the Rama-Setu-Destruction / Setu Samudram Project from the larger Energy and Geo Politic perspective, especially US's interest in it.
Everything has happened within a span of 6 months - aparently unconnected looking events.