Hours before negotiating its third international nuclear co-operation agreement (this time with Russia), a confident Manmohan Singh government today assured Parliament that these agreements would provide India fuel supply assurances as well as the option of corrective measures.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee also said the pacts had “interlocking provisions” to fully protect India’s rights.
“These agreements represent a careful balance of rights and obligations. Co-operation with our international partners will be carried out on the basis of the terms and provisions of these agreements. The agreements we have signed with the US and France and will be signing with Russia provide for co-operation in various aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle,” Mukherjee said in a statement in Parliament.
The government also stated that it had “no doubt” that Washington would fulfil its “commitments and obligations” specified in the 123 Agreement.
The Left parties rejected the statement and said the breach of privilege issue against the prime minister should be settled first. “There is no point discussing the statement,” said CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury.
Trying to pacify the agitated Left members, who wanted to raise the issue of alleged breach of privilege against the prime minister, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said he had received a privilege notice against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in connection with the Indo-US civil nuclear deal and it was under his consideration.
In its first opportunity to address Parliament after clinching the Nuclear Suppliers Group waiver to carry out nuclear commerce and signing the nuclear agreements with France and the US, the government today said the agreement with the US was “fully consistent” with India’s interests.
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“This initiative in no way constrains our ability to pursue an independent foreign policy. In fact, it does the opposite by increasing our foreign policy options. The NSG decision actually enhances our choices to engage as an equal partner with the international community,” said Mukherjee.
Mukherjee also underlined that the deals would not affect India’s strategic programme. “We retain the freedom to take action with regard to our strategic programme even as we engage in international cooperation in civil nuclear energy,” he said.
The government said the international co-operation would “also help our indigenous nuclear programme to grow rapidly.”
“Even existing plants are operating at a much lower level than their capacity due to shortage of uranium. With opening of international nuclear trade and commerce we will have new opportunities to expand our nuclear capacity,” he added.