Indo-US nuclear deal

Off late India has been making all the right moves, and is well on its way to be a force to reckon with. As a matter of fact, everything seems to be falling in place for India’s own good. One of the biggest issue was the nuclear deal which India was supposed to sign with the US. Much has been said about the 123 agreement, a part of the nuclear deal, which lays down policies and restrictions which will go against India.

The biggest clause in the 123 agreement is that the Indian nuclear plants will be under constant surveillance by the US and that India will also not be allowed to reuse the nuclear waste produced as a by-product of nuclear energy generation. It also says that India will have to surrender all its nuclear reactors in case India chooses to test a nuclear weapon sometime in the future. This didn’t augur well with the left and there never was a total majority in the parliament to go ahead with the deal. The delay could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

The US has been very adamant as far as the negotiations were concerned and the UPA government has been putting in its best efforts to make amends to the agreement so that the left’s demands could be met and that it would be accepted unanimously in the parliament. But if seen from a broader perspective, the nuclear energy that our honorable PM Mr. Manmohan Singh has been stressing about adds up to a very less percentage of the total energy generation requirement.

Mr. Prakash Karat has been wise in deciding to postpone the negotiations till the US presidential elections are over. The present policies adopted by the US are very dubious.

They have such subtle clauses in their policies that, they often go unnoticed, and as a matter of fact, put the other country at a disadvantage. This has to be kept in the minds of any country which plans to strike any kind of deal with the US.

After the US elections come to an end, the next president could hold better prospects for India. It is just a hope, but even if the negotiation have to be made all over again, it will be good for India because it can now try and plug the loop holes in the first negotiation when Bush was at the helm. The whole deal could as well turn in India’s favour and nuclear energy will not be a distant dream anymore. US is now forcing India to finish off the deal and has given a dead line to it. India in my opinion should not fall for it and even if it calls for fresh negotiations with a fresh government, it should not budge. It might turn out to be a costly mistake. India should not give into pressure. Nothing can be said now. Lets hope everything goes on well.