- For last few days we are hearing a lot about Indo – US Nuclear Deal. I think it is for the first time in Indian History after independence that any Sovereign Indian Government had to prove a majority in the Parliament. So what’s this Deal all about & what are IAEA Terms & Conditions due to which Indian Politics has suddenly become so hot.
In August 2007, India and the United States reached a bilateral agreement on civilian nuclear cooperation as envisioned in the joint statement released by President Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July 18, 2005. The deal, which marks a notable warming of U.S.-India relations, would lift the U.S. moratorium on nuclear trade with India, provide U.S. assistance to India's civilian nuclear energy program, and expand U.S.-Indian cooperation in energy and satellite technology.
What are the terms of the deal?
The details of the deal include the following:
India agrees to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA), the United Nations' nuclear watchdog group, access to its civilian nuclear program. But India would decide which of its many nuclear facilities to classify as civilian. By March 2006, India promised to place fourteen of its twenty-two power reactors under IAEA safeguards permanently. India also promised that all future civilian thermal and breeder reactors shall be placed under IAEA safeguards permanently. Military facilities and stockpiles of nuclear fuel that India has produced up to now will be exempt from inspections or safeguards.
v India commits to signing an Additional Protocol (PDF) which allows more intrusive IAEA inspections or its civilian facilities.
v India agrees to continue its moratorium on nuclear weapons testing.
v India commits to strengthening the security of its nuclear arsenals.
v India works toward negotiating a Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) with the United States banning the production of fissile material for weapons purposes. India agrees to prevent the spread of enrichment and reprocessing technologies to states that don't possess them and to support international nonproliferation efforts.
v U.S. companies will be allowed to build nuclear reactors in India and provide nuclear fuel for its civilian energy program.
What kind of technology would India receive in return?
India would be eligible to buy U.S. dual-use nuclear technology, including materials and equipment that could be used to enrich uranium or reprocess plutonium, potentially creating the material for nuclear bombs. It would also receive imported fuel for its nuclear reactors.
Who needs to approve the agreement?
The final terms of the nuclear deal need approval from several sources before they can be implemented. The bodies required to approve the deal include:
v IAEA. India has to sign a safeguards agreement with the IAEA under which all nuclear material and equipment transferred to it by the United States as a part of this deal shall be subject to safeguards. The Board of Governors of the IAEA has to approve this India-specific safeguards agreement. In February 2008, Indian negotiators and IAEA officials met in Vienna discuss their differences and complete the agreement.
v India's Parliament. The deal is controversial in India, with many parliamentarians arguing it will limit India's sovereignty and hurt its security. Some Indian nuclear experts are protesting what they see as excessive U.S. participation in deciding which of India's nuclear facilities to define as civilian, and open to international inspections under the plan.
v The Nuclear Suppliers Group. The NSG tries to restrict the spread of nuclear technology that could be used in weapons programs through export controls. The United States will try to convince the group to make an exception for India, which may be a difficult case to make when the United States is simultaneously trying to prevent Iran and North Korea from gaining similar access to nuclear fuel and technology.
v US Congress. Under the U.S. Atomic Energy Act, which regulates the trade of nuclear material, congressional approval is needed to pass the exemptions to U.S. laws required for the nuclear deal to be implemented. Members of Congress are showing resistance, with some calling for India to commit to strict limits on its nuclear weapons program before the deal goes through.
These are just the details of different perspectives of Indo-US Nuclear Deal. I am not going in details of different objections by different parties to this deal or what will be the impact of this deal on International Relationships between different countries like India, China, US or Pakistan.
But as a Citizen of India we should understand what this deal is. Is it really worth making so much noise about it? Is Indian Government playing with the Sovereignty of the nation? Will this deal be really fulfilling the need of the energy as claimed by Indian Government?
Please think friends’!!!
