Deal with US doesn't cap Indian nuclear programme: PMNew Delhi :
New Delhi, March 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday reassured the nation that India's civilian nuclear deal with the US would not lead to a capping of its strategic programme as feared by critics.
Allaying fears voiced by MPs in the Lok Sabha, Manmohan Singh - responding to a discussion on his statement on US President George W. Bush's March 2-4 visit - said India's strategic outlook was not even discussed with Washington.
"We have not agreed to any formula or any proposal which would amount to a cap on our nuclear programme," he told a thinly attended Lok Sabha, with the Left - which had been highly critical of Bush - represented by less than 10 MPs.
"I have taken full care about it. I had the advice of our atomic scientists and I had the advice of our armed forces in working out India's requirement of what would constitute a critical minimum deterrent.
"We have made sure that we have taken care of India's present requirements and future requirements, as far as possible humanly.
"Therefore, the country should have the assurance that we have not compromised, in any way, when it comes to India's strategic nuclear programme.
"We have not accepted a cap on that nuclear programme. That decision will have to be made by the government of India, taking into account the security concerns of our nation and we are alone competent to judge what is desirable and what is not desirable.
"This is the essence of the arrangement that we have made with the US," the prime minister said, leading to thumping of desks by Congress members.
"The confidentiality of the strategic programme was fully preserved during the negotiations with the US," he added.
"I can assure the members that our discussions with the US pertained only to those facilities that are being offered for safeguards between 2006 and 2014. The discussion did not cover our strategic programme.
"Confidential information on our national security and the strategic programme has been and will remain fully protected," Manmohan Singh said.
He said the India-US deal, which would involve New Delhi separating its civil and military nuclear facilities, "would widen our development and ensure our energy requirements without affecting our strategic programmes and research and development.
"It is a step forward which will take the country on a higher growth and development trajectory."
The opposition had expressed fears that the nuclear pact would derail New Delhi's nuclear weapon capabilities.
The prime minister repeatedly assured the members that India was "competent to judge what is desirable and what is not desirable".
In a speech packed with facts, Kharabela Swain of the Bharatiya Janata Party alleged that the government had agreed to cap its nuclear capabilities.
The prime minister denied this.
"Let me assure this house that the separation plan (of civil and military nuclear facilities) has been drawn up in such a manner that it will not adversely affect our strategic programme," Manmohan Singh said.
Responding to concerns expressed by Swain and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Roopchand Pal about India's efforts to explore thorium as nuclear fuel, Manmohan Singh declared: "We will not forego the three-stage programme which will enable us to utilise the vast thorium reserves in future."
On the issue of closure of CIRUS reactor located in the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC), where no foreign inspection would be allowed, Manmohan Singh said that only the fuel core of other nuclear reactor APSARA would be shifted, not the reactor itself.
"We have decided to take these two steps because the BARC complex is of high national security importance and we will not allow any international inspection in this area," he said.
But Manmohan Singh quickly added that both Apsara and CIRUS reactors were not related to the country's strategic programme.
"Both CIRUS and Apsara are not related to our strategic programme and therefore our scientists have assured me that (the separation plan) will have no impact on our strategic programme."
Pointing out that the world had recognised India as a nuclear weapon state, he said the International Atomic Energy Agency would have India-specific safeguards because it has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
