PM refutes BJP's claims on nuke reactors

Dismissing as "false" the charge that India came under US pressure in not signing agreements on Koodankulam atomic reactors, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the deal could not be concluded as the government was yet to work out issues with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

"It has always been understood that the agreements for four additional reactors (for Koodankulam atomic power project) could be signed only after India got the approval from the IAEA for India-specific safeguards and work out with the NSG issues that are under discussion," he said during a debate on the Indo-US nuclear deal in the Rajya Sabha.

Singh said it was quite obvious that the agreement with Russia was not to be operationalised till the issues with IAEA and NSG were resolved.

"So the impression that you are giving is false propaganda inside and outside which is not correct," he told BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, who had charged the government with coming under US pressure in not signing the agreement with Russia.