India will closely watch the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) regime and how the United States would change its laws with regard to dismantling restrictions and lifting embargo on civil nuclear technology before it starts reciprocating by segregating civilian and military nuclear facilities.

This process follows the historic Indo-US nuclear cooperation agreement which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President George W Bush signed last month.


‘‘The act of identification and segregation of the civilian and military nuclear facilities in India will be taken up in a phased manner, and is going to be purely on reciprocal basis. But before we take up take any reciprocal steps, we have to closely watch what happens to the US laws on restrictions and lifting of embargo and the nuclear suppliers group front,’’ said Dr Anil Kakodkar, chairman, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).

The decision on the segregation process would be purely an Indian decision and ‘‘every time we do, we will take totality into account. We have introduced enough safeguards to protect Indian interests,’’ Kakodkar said.

‘‘The decision on the method of segregation will be purely Indian and not dictated by anyone. It is clear that it would not be a one-time job but will be determined as per national requirements that prevail from time to time,’’ Kakodkar said.

In the light of India’s growing energy requirements, he said, ‘‘We are looking for external inputs as an additionality to existing and growing indigenous N-programme. Any external cooperation that is forthcoming will be put under specific safeguards. This is consistent with our national policy,’’ he said.

Kakodkar said there was a recognition about India that ‘‘we are fundamentally strong in research and nuclear technology development.’’

‘‘With... India’s capability and impeccable track record on safety and export control, there is a definite change in mindset among developed nations about India and the joint Indo-US cooperation statement was the result,’’ Kakodkar said.

The move by Britain to lift nuclear sanctions that were imposed on India, a few days after the joint Indo-US declaration, was a small step in a positive direction, ‘‘but we have to watch them also closely,’’ Kakodkar said.

‘‘China has no embargo and the technology control regime does not apply to them,’’ he said, adding ‘‘There is merit in solving the problem of restriction on India.’’

According to Kakodkar, it is important to recognise that ‘‘India’s growing economy needs large energy inputs. This is one of the important factors. We need 10 times more electricity in the next five decades. Nuclear power is important in this context.

“Besides implementing our indigenous three-stage power programme using uranium, plutonium and thorium as fuels, the import of nuclear power plants and nuclear fuel would help realise energy security.’’ —PTI

Courtesy : The Indian Express August 22, 2005