Government hopeful to wrap up the Indo-US Nuclear deal

The much talked Indo–US nuclear deal is back on the road and Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon told media on Friday that India is likely to strike a deal with IAEA regarding India specific safeguards agreement by the end of this month during final round of talks in Vienna.

But the text after being finalised with IAEA has to be scrutinised by 15-membered UPA-Left committee, the final agreed draft will be presented before the Board of Governor of IAEA then to US and lastly the deal will be presented before 45-membered Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) to get it cleared which will give India unconditional exemption to do nuclear exchange internationally.

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The Foreign Secretary said, “We hope to do another round of talk in the middle of January in Vienna .We hope to wrap it up. The discussions are proceedings smoothly.”

On the question that whether Prime Minister would ask China to support Indo-US nuclear deal as it is a member of NSG, Menon said, “We have not actually come to that point. When it comes to the NSG, we will ask for unconditional exemption by its members.”

The next round of talks between the Indian negotiators and the IAEA is likely on January 16.

He recounted the fact that earlier too India and China were engaged in nuclear exchange, “We have worked together in the past. China, at one stage, supplied low-enriched uranium for Tarapur.

“We will certainly raise the subject (of nuclear commerce) again,” he added.

Apart from of the fact that government’s hopefulness regarding the deal there is a catch over many points including the corrective measures by India to ensure uninterrupted operation of its civilian nuclear reactors in the event of disruption of foreign supplies.

And also on the issue of India's right to hold its strategic reserve to cater to lifetime supply to its civilian nuclear plants.

While speaking in the annual conference of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas External affair Minister Pranab Mukherjee supported this deal saying it will fulfill India’s energy need but the fact is that still there are clouds of uncertainty looming over it.