'Nuclear deal can only be to the advantage of India'

MAKING SPACE FOR INDIA: Country goes to IAEA for sealing nuclear safeguards agreement.

Other stories in the section:

N-deal may not reach US Congress for a vote

India has finalised the nuclear safeguards agreement with IAEA.

• IAEA green signal doesn't mean N-deal is through
• IAEA clears way for N-deal | What it means | The mood

Featured Blog

Rajdeep Sardesai

Bhiwani to Beijing: Lessons from a journey

Featured Slideshows

Related Headlines

powered by

• N-deal may not reach US Congress for a vote
• IAEA green signal doesn't mean N-deal is through
• IAEA clears way for N-deal | What it means | The mood

Keywords: Web Chat, Arundhati Ghosh

Supporters of the Indo-US nuclear deal say it would help in solving the country’s energy needs and end its nuclear apartheid. Critics say the deal would put India in the grip of America and end India’s nuclear sovereignty. What does India gain from the deal? Does the deal endanger sovereignty? Arundhati Ghose, India’s former ambassador to the UN, explained the pros and cons in a web chat. Excerpts from the chat.

Vinu: Is it true that India is running out of Uranium and needs the Indo-US nuclear deal badly to free her own stockpiles of uranium for continuing its strategic nuclear programme. Also by not placing under safeguards mean they are to be used for strategic military purposes. Please clarify.

Arundhati Ghose: India does not have large supplies of uranium. In any case, our uranium is low grade. We have also not been able to mine the uranium we have due not only to financial constraints, but also, due to environmental objections from local groups. Even if this were overcome, we would not have enough to meet our energy demands. Eight reactors have been left out of those classified as civilian in the separation plan. If we need to use them for producing fissile materials for weapons, we could do so.

Taku Chatung: What is the concept of ‘safeguards agreement’ and likely to be after agreement with the IAEA board of director?

Murugan: How does the Hyde Act bind India? Is it against our sovereign interests?

Arundhati Ghose: The Hyde Act is an internal, domestic law of the US. It enables the US government to enter into an agreement with India for civil nuclear deal cooperation, which was not permitted under existing US laws. The Hyde Act has been passed. Once the deal is approved by the US Congress, it will be the latest expression of the sovereign will of the US and according to the US constitution will prevail over the Hyde Act which had only enabled this agreement.

Dinesh: Can you point out any one risk that we have to face by signing this deal? I don't agree with the Left, but still as layman I am interested to know is there any issue that is not good for India in this deal?

Arundhati Ghose: The US is going out of its way to help us in this deal. They have even changed their domestic law to enable them to push this forward. My worry is what do they expect in return? Would we be able to tackle these expectations with the delicate diplomacy that is required? It is a new world and we have to learn how to live with it.

Arjun: How does nuclear energy help us satisfy our energy needs? It will make up only a small fraction of our energy requirements. The essence of this deal is politics and the need for India to get out of the isolation it finds itself in the nuclear arena. Why raise this bogie of energy security?