Amidst speculations, leaving for the Left parties about India's stand on nuclear deal, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh guarded with Samajwadi Party's support, which has come as a saviour for the ruling government, has left New Delhi Monday for Japan to participate in G-8 summit.
Along with other global issues like soaring oil prices and inflation to climate change, energy security and food crisis, India would like “nuclear deal in centre stage” while organising separate bilateral informal meeting with world's top developed countries.
The PM is expected to take a final leap on nuclear deal and convey US its government's decision to go for completing the remaining steps from IAEA safeguards agreement to the NSG exemption.
Back to home, the Left leaders are anxiously waiting for Dr. Manmohan Singh to clear the ruling government's decision on nuclear deal that they want to hear straight from the horse's mouth. The government, owing to not precipitating the political crisis while the PM is abroad, is also waiting for Dr. Singh to announce the decision on going ahead with the IAEA. And the moment it happens, as the Left had indicated, it would withdraw support from the government.
Sources in the government say the top notch leaders of India and US during a scheduled meeting between Singh and Bush are expected to discuss issues of mutual interests and the development of the nuclear deal. The finalisation of 123-agreement with the US would also mean termination of ban on India's access to the global nuclear fuel and technology market.
India is not only on the way to concluding nuclear deal with the US, but it has also completed negotiations on similar agreements with Russia and France, but the deal with these two countries are bound to NSG's exemption to India. The deal with Russia and France would not see the light of the day until India obtains clear exemption from NSG.
Nuclear Suppliers Group's (NSG) - a group of 45 nations - approval is also crucial for India as it would grant India a right to trade in nuclear energy and technology on equal footing with other NSG countries without signing Non-Proliferation Treaty. India, after NSG's exemption, would be only such country, which gets nuclear power status without signing NPT.
The PM will not only try to convince the US on India's stand on nuclear deal, but also try to seek support from the G-8 countries--the US, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia, apart from the so-called O-5 countries--Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, China. Australia, Indonesia and South Korea will also be joining in the meeting, whose support on NSG's exemption is also crucial for the India, as maximum countries participating in the meeting are members of the NSG. India is also member of the O-5 countries, participating in the G-8 outreach meeting since 2003.
On the eve of departure to Japan for G8-Outreach summit, the Prime Minister except talking on nuclear deal put forth other issues. He said: “At the forthcoming Summit I will present India’s perspectives on a wide range of global issues, including the state of the world economy, development, trade, transfer of technology, energy security and food security. I will, in particular, highlight the impact of the sharp rise in fuel prices on the global economy and the need for joint action by both producing and consuming nations.”
The Left leaders on Friday had asked the Government to inform its stand on nuclear deal by July 7, but now the latest development on the issue is not appearing to be clear before Thursday, when the PM will return home. Meanwhile, the External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the sources said, will inform the Left leaders the formal announcement of the government's decision on nuclear deal to be made on the next UPA-Left meeting.
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