The Indo-US Nuclear Deal - Tracing the Footsteps

The history of the Indo-US nuclear deal hasforeign policy in order to clinch the deal" and
oscillated like a pendulum between the two"surrendering the right to conduct nuclear tests in
countries. It was on July 18, 2005 that Primethe future".
Minister Manmohan Singh and President GeorgeInspite of the storm and thunder, the Congress
Bush first issued a Joint Statement to the effectgovernment continued to push for the deal and
of ending India's four decade long nuclear isolationthe next significant step came when the 123
and giving it an official nuclear weapons stateAgreement was clinched by the US and Indian
status. Right from this time the deal facedofficials on July 27, 2007. Further developments
criticism and opposition within the country.on the civilian nuclear deals issue the government
The Opposition parties as also the Left parties,on the verge of a collapse when in 2008 when
then the outside supporters of the Congress-ledthe Left threatened them with "serious
coalition, raised serious doubts about the nuclearconsequences" if the deal goes through. True to
deal. Because of the Left parties' ideologicaltheir word the Left parties withdrew support to
problems regarding strategic ties with the US,the government on July 8th, 2008 and two days
they maintained a steady stream of criticismlater the Prime Minister called for a vote of
questioning the government's decision. In theconfidence in the Parliament.
meantime the Bush government also faced theWinning the trust vote gave a new lease of life to
heat by supporters of non-proliferation who saidthe government as well as the civilian nuclear deal.
that the agreement would make the NPT regimeThe next crucial step was the NSG meet on
superfluous.August 21st and 22nd which concluded
One of the crucial tenets of the agreement wasinconclusively and by reservations by some
that India would separate the civilian and militarycountries. The US government worked hard to
atomic reactors. On November 16, 2006 the USlobby for the deal and in the next NSG meet on
Congress passed the Henry J. Hyde UnitedSeptember 4-6th US came up with a revised
States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperationdraft and the NSG granted waiver to India,
Act of 2006. This act included a waiver for theagreeing to the deal!
US administration from Section 123 of the AtomicFinally on October 2nd, history was created when
Energy Act, allowing them to resume nuclearthe US Senate cleared the Nuclear Pact with an
trade with India. But the political storm within theoverwhelming margin of 86-13 votes. The final
country refused to die down, with the BJPapproval ends India's decades' long nuclear isolation
pointing the finger at the government forand gives it nuclear weapons state status at par
"surrendering its right to conduct independentwith the other five nuclear powers.