Indo-US nuclear deal – Prospects

If the UPA Government at New Delhi wants to continue till its full term, it has to abandon the deal as insisted by the Left parties supporting the government. It is reported that considerable progress has been made on the India specific safeguards after the 5th meeting at Vienna. India is looking for an exemption so that the country can approach the NSG member countries for nuclear fuel and the technology. It is reported in the press that a former foreign secretary, Shyam Saran is appointed as PM’s special envoy to deal with the two sensitive issues, i.e., climate change and nuclear deal with the NSG member countries. It is highlighted that India and the other countries which are worried about the climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions, that nuclear power option is the environmentally clean option to prevent India from going for more and more fossil fuel based power plants. Of course, India needs power from all possible resources.

The options seem to be: either to negotiate the deal with the minority government if Left parties withdraw the support for the UPA government or wait and be ready to renegotiate with the Democrat administration after it takes over the White House.

According to the Chairman, AEC, India, the outcome of the IAEA talks should favor India with respect to its requirements, and it should be satisfactory to both the sides.