Opposition and Left parties in the Lok Sabha today expressed concern over the impact of the Indo-US nuclear deal on India's independent foreign policy with former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, asking the Government to clarify whether "indirect conditionalities" have been imposed on the country.

Seeking a national debate and a consensus on the nuclear question, Vajpayee asked whether India's future interests had been taken into account while entering into deals which, among other things, entailed separation of the country's civilian and military nuclear facilities.

Initiating a debate on the statement made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, regarding his recent US visit, Vajpayee, who made his speech while being seated, said in a world faced with terrorism, "we cannot say with conviction when which facility will be required to safeguard our national interests".

He expressed apprehension that the nuclear deal with the US could affect production of nuclear materials by India which, in turn, would impact national security.

CPI leader Prabodh Panda said India, through the recently concluded agreements with Washington, had become a "junior partner of the US in fulfilling its global ambitions".

He charged the Government with "deviating" from its independent foreign policy based on anti-imperialism and continuing the "pro-US shift initiated by the erstwhile Vajpayee Government".

Countering the charges, Congress member P K Bansal, said India would get "unlimited access" to nuclear materials and technology as a result of the recent deal, which was denied earlier.