| The Indian media space is buzzing with the one | | | | program will not remain sovereign any more |
| and only issue: the Indo-US Nuclear Deal. | | | | when US nuclear experts will have an open |
| According to the media pundits, a better way of | | | | access to India's nuclear facilities and the external |
| telling will be the 'Spoilsport Left and the Indo-US | | | | supervision will definitely deter the independence |
| Nuclear deal'! The media is overwhelmed and glad | | | | of its nuclear program. This will widen up the |
| to finally discover a firm and will powered prime | | | | possibility of India's nuclear program secrets to |
| minister who recently went aloof from his official | | | | leak out. India is still a non-signatory of the |
| and political duties for days. We were told that | | | | Nuclear-Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). For the last |
| this was his 'Gandhian' way to show anger, | | | | 38 years, India has not complied with any |
| courage and determination against the ultimatum | | | | external interference in its nuclear program. |
| issued by the left to withdraw support if the | | | | According to the deal, this sovereignty will |
| government advances for signing the deal. It was | | | | definitely be in a question. |
| also a message to some of the UPA allies who | | | | Dr P K Iyengar, Dr A Gopalakrishnan and Dr A N |
| were against an early election. His act therefore, is | | | | Prasad, all senior and highly respected scientists |
| a stern warning to the detractors that he will not | | | | have commented in a recent (June 2008) press |
| budge to whatever pressure comes on his way | | | | release: |
| to sign the deal even if the government falls. Is it | | | | Analysts have convincingly shown that this |
| not a humiliation if India backtracks now? Should | | | | additional power will come at a much higher cost |
| not the Indian people line behind the Prime Minister | | | | per unit of electricity compared to conventional |
| and support him on this issue to safeguard the | | | | coal or hydro power, which India can generate |
| prestige and shining future of the country? The | | | | without foreign imports. |
| print and electronic media in a motivated manner | | | | Once the deal is in place, it is also clear that India's |
| is consistently trying to explain to the people of | | | | commercial nuclear interactions with the US, as |
| India in simplistic terms about the goodness of the | | | | well as with any other country, will be firmly |
| deal officially known as Henry J. Hyde United | | | | controlled from Washington, via the stipulations of |
| States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation | | | | the Hyde Act, 2006, enforced through the |
| Act of 2006 or 'The Hyde Act'. Any opposition to | | | | stranglehold which the US retains on the Nuclear |
| this act is viewed as sabotage to India's vital | | | | Suppliers' Group. |
| interests. | | | | The real issue facing India, therefore, is whether |
| It is interesting to note that in his four years in | | | | or not we want this mythical extra 'energy |
| office, Dr. Singh never found this boldness and | | | | security' through this deal, paying almost thrice |
| determination to address various national issues. It | | | | the unit capital cost of conventional power plants, |
| seems that he was holding the chair only to | | | | with the additional burden of subjugating. |
| augment the process of a wide strategic alliance | | | | From some blocks, this criticism of the nuclear |
| with his former employer, the United States. The | | | | scientists is viewed as a partisan outlook. Is it not |
| fact remains that in the pretext to meet India's | | | | the responsibility of these experts to advise the |
| nuclear energy needs, the Indo-US Nuclear Deal is | | | | nation and its people on a highly technical matter |
| actually a close strategic and military tie up | | | | like the nuclear deal? This advice has derived from |
| covering political, economic and military | | | | their particular knowledge and experience that is |
| cooperation with Washington. Through the deal, | | | | of course more reliable than the blabbers of the |
| India will line up as a global partner with the evil | | | | economist Prime Minister or the opportunist |
| designs of Washington in Asian subcontinent. The | | | | politicians like Mulayam Singh Yadav. Mulayam did a |
| promises of this alliance came as a first hand | | | | volte-face from his earlier stand on the deal and |
| proof when the Indian government surprisingly | | | | his relations with the Congress party following his |
| voted against Iran twice in 2005 in the | | | | right hand man Amar Singh's return from the US |
| International Atomic Energy Agency. Therefore, | | | | a week back. After a highly publicized meeting |
| only fools and opportunists will believe that | | | | with the technocrat ex President of India Abdul |
| America's eagerness for the deal is for the | | | | Kalam, Mulayam has expressed that he is totally |
| benefits of India. | | | | convinced today that the deal is good for the |
| The primary objective put forward by | | | | country. Obviously, his conviction has not |
| Government of India is that the deal will help India | | | | originated from a deep study and understanding |
| ensure its growing need of electric power. The | | | | of the nuclear deal. It has evoked from the dark |
| supporters of the deal are also arguing that India | | | | chambers of Indian political biosphere where some |
| requires this deal to support speedy growth of | | | | other deal was settled. |
| the economy. At present India's nuclear power | | | | Is this Indo-US Nuclear Deal, also termed as |
| generation capacity is less than 3% of the total | | | | Civilian Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, really |
| installed capacity of all its power plants. According | | | | about civilian nuclear cooperation? Today, what |
| to the 'most optimistic scenario' in the next 10 | | | | the Left is pointing towards a grave future |
| years predicted by a Planning Commission report, | | | | situation will be clearer to all the citizens of this |
| nuclear energy will be adding only 7% of India's | | | | country after the deal starts rolling. Slowly and |
| total installed capacity. If we consider the buoyant | | | | systematically, the US will start promoting its |
| figures tabled by the government, it will still be | | | | strategic domestic and foreign policy objectives in |
| less than 9% if the deal gets going. | | | | Asia from the Indian soil. The indications are |
| However, these predicted figures may not be a | | | | sufficiently clear even today from the India-US |
| reality keeping in mind the cost factor involved in | | | | joint military exercises such as the one that took |
| it. In all estimates, nuclear power is too expensive | | | | place in the Kalaikunda air base in West Bengal. |
| to benefit a poor country like India if compared | | | | Next, the Chennai port became the anchorage of |
| with other cheaper sources of energy like | | | | the nuclear powered aircraft carrier 'Nimitz'. This |
| thermal, hydro and renewable. The cost of building | | | | military exercise was extended to the |
| a nuclear power plant with domestic reactors is | | | | 'quadrilateral' exercises involving US, Japan and |
| twice than a coal-fired thermal power plant. It | | | | Australia. We can understand the basic US |
| simply means that by spending the same amount | | | | strategy concerning India from this Pentagon |
| of money we can generate double MW of electric | | | | study 'Indo-US Military Relations: Expectations and |
| power from thermal plants. The cost difference | | | | Perceptions'. According to this report: "The Indians |
| will shoot up more if we compare indigenous | | | | will laud the relationship as a success if they obtain |
| coal-fired plants with nuclear plants having | | | | the technology that they want from the United |
| imported reactors. After signing the deal, India will | | | | States. We (the US military) will view the |
| not get nuclear fuel or reactors free or even at a | | | | relationship as a success if we are able to build a |
| low cost but at the prevailing market price. | | | | constructive military cooperation programme that |
| Therefore, obviously the cost of electricity | | | | enables us to jointly operate with the Indians in |
| coming from nuclear power plants will be much | | | | the future." Therefore, after signing the nuclear |
| higher than electricity produced from the | | | | deal US will start pursuing and pressurizing for |
| indigenous thermal plants. | | | | military contracts. India will one day find itself |
| In addition, to pump in more public money to run | | | | entwined with this strategic and commercial |
| the nuclear plants other infrastructure sectors of | | | | designs of the US and after falling into their grip |
| India must go deprived from funds. There will also | | | | will become a lucrative client and loyal satellite of |
| be other potential hazards and the serious | | | | the US. |
| problem of disposing nuclear wastes. Even US has | | | | As stated by Joseph Cirincione of the Nuclear |
| not yet come up with a full proof nuclear waste | | | | Non-Proliferation Project of the Carnegie |
| disposal system. Another argument raised by | | | | Endowment for International Peace, ".....what it tells |
| some environmentalist experts is that nuclear | | | | us of the U.S. grand strategy, and that behind |
| energy will help to control global warming. This is a | | | | whatever else is going on here the U.S. is |
| peculiar one. Should we then start building new | | | | preparing for a grand conflict with China and |
| nuclear plants everywhere and everyday? | | | | constructing an anti-China coalition.....In that |
| Quite rightly, some of our nuclear scientists have | | | | scenario, India is even more valuable as a nuclear |
| raised serious concern on the deal. Their area of | | | | power, rather than as a non-nuclear country." |
| fear is mainly that this deal will baffle India's | | | | The days may not be far away when we will see |
| indigenous and well-merited thorium based nuclear | | | | the US military directly or indirectly in service |
| program. It may also jeopardize the possibility to | | | | from their base on Indian soil. Prime Minister |
| expand and pursue nuclear technologies in future | | | | Manmohan Singh and the Congress party are |
| for India's own benefits. Another major concern is | | | | deeply committed to their role as the US agent in |
| that the existence of India's independent nuclear | | | | India for constructing this strategic US base. |