NEW DELHI: India could possibly associate with the United States-led global nuclear energy partnership (GNEP) as an "equal partner" in the capacity of a "supplier nation," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Lok Sabha on Saturday.

"I would like to emphasise this point. We will not forgo the three-stage [nuclear] programme, which will enable us to use our vast thorium resources in future," he said, replying to a debate on Indo-U.S. issues.

Distinct from the deal

The GNEP was distinct from the nuclear deal with the U.S. "Our comprehensive capabilities across the spectrum and mastery over all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle are well-established and widely recognised."

U.S. President George W. Bush said on February 22 that under the GNEP "America will work with nations such as Great Britain, France, Japan and Russia that have advanced civilian nuclear energy programmes to share nuclear fuel with nations like India that are developing civilian nuclear energy programmes."

The deal with the U.S. was "basically a quest" to promote cooperation between India and the Nuclear Suppliers Group members to meet New Delhi's energy requirements.

While complimenting the nation's scientists, he said the nuclear energy programme had not advanced due to problems in availability of raw materials. "This has hurt our energy programme."

Dr. Singh said there was no cap on the strategic nuclear programme. "I have taken full care of it. I had the advice of our atomic scientists and armed forces in working out the requirement of a critical minimum deterrent."

He assured that fissile material and "other inputs" for the strategic programme would be available adequately. "We have made sure that we have taken care of our present [deterrence] requirements and future requirements, as far as humanly possible."

The civil and military nuclear facilities' separation plan would "not limit our option now or in the future to address evolving threat scenarios with appropriate responses consistent with our nuclear policy of restraint and responsibility".

The U.S. was a global power and its interests do not, all the time, converge with India's interests. "But there are opportunities ... when our interests do converge and I believe it is the duty of any Government of India to take advantage of all those opportunities ... "

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