Russian shipment for Rooppur nuclear plant docks at India's Haldia

India has allowed shipment from Russia for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Bangladesh to dock at Haldia port amid concern in regards to receiving a sanctioned Russian ship following American restrictions.

The Russian ship, which had to be turned away from Bangladesh, hovered in the Bay of Bengal since late December, the Economic Times reports.

The consignment may be sent to its destination by road from India, said officials. India is assisting it's neighbouring country Bangladesh in constructing the NPP under the India-Russia partnership for projects in third countries.

All Indian ports are open to Russia-flagged vessels and India has been accepting consignments from Russia over the past year, with bilateral trade surging 300 per cent..

The Russian-flagged ship arrived at Bangladesh's Mongla port at the end of December 2022 with goods destined for the Rooppur NPP, Mongla Port Authority Secretary Kalachand Singh told local media.

"We have learned that the cargo from the vessel can be unloaded at the Haldia port in India's West Bengal. From there, another vessel could carry the consignment for the Rooppur power plant," he said.

Sadhan Kumar, operations officer of Khulna Conveyor Shipping Lines, told Bangladeshi media, "In the past shipments for Rooppur NPP were delivered by Russian and neutral, foreign-flagged, vessels at the Mongla port. After unloading the cargoes at the port, they would be taken to Rooppur."