The Hindu : Front Page : India took a calculated risk: Manmohan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 05, 2005

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India took a calculated risk: Manmohan

Special Correspondent

`Opening civilian nuclear energy sector to inspections is a risk worth taking'

NEW DELHI: India took a "calculated risk" by agreeing to open its civilian nuclear energy sector to inspections in return for nuclear fuel supplies and technology. "But it was a risk worth taking" in order to "take advantage of those who would take India to a higher growth path," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday about his recent U.S. visit.

Though U.S. President George Bush had promised to influence the U.S. Congress and other countries to make concessions in India's favour, it was difficult to predict whether nuclear non-proliferation laws would be changed to India's satisfaction. "If there is no action by the U.S. Government, we are completely free to stay where we are," he said. If Mr. Bush implemented his promise, India would be able to widen its developmental options by accessing commercial energy that is environmental-friendly.

Clarifying doubts about the wisdom of opening civilian nuclear plants to the international inspection regime, Dr. Singh said that in the present scenario, India could not have asked the U.S. to remove restrictions in trade on all nuclear assets. "We had to contend with that reality and fashioned our approach accordingly."

Making his third articulation in Parliament on the U.S. visit, Dr. Singh felt there had been excessive focus on the nuclear issue. His first concern before leaving for the U.S. was to utilise the opportunity to revitalise agricultural growth that had reached a plateau. "I was worried about agriculture and therefore sought advances in human knowledge to revitalise the agricultural research centres and universities."

Another area of concern was infrastructure bottlenecks exemplified by the shut down of Mumbai for a week following heavy rain, he said.

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