India plans to honour nuclear deal with US

NEW YORK—Despite widespread misgivings in India that the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal compromises the country’s sovereignty, the Indian government, under American pressure, appears to be moving forward to finalize it, according to a media report.The agreement aims to give India access to US nuclear fuel and equipment, overturning a three-decade ban imposed after New Delhi, which has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty, conducted a nuclear test in 1974.
“Caving in to intense pressure from Washington and from domestic business and strategic lobbies, India’s Congress party-led coalition government is planning to push through the civilian nuclear cooperation deal with the United States in the teeth of strong political opposition,” the Inter Press Service (IPS) reported from New Delhi.
After a great deal of vacillation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has decided to take the next step in completing the deal by approaching the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to negotiate a special inspections (safeguards) agreement, the agency said, citing to well-placed sources in his Congress party.
In doing so, it said, Singh risks the collapse of his Congress-led United Progress Alliance (UPA) government, which is critically dependent on the support of the Left for a parliamentary majority.
India’s Left parties, which hold 60 seats in the 543-strong Lower House of Parliament, oppose the nuclear agreement tooth nail.—Agencies