US nuclear power firms are banking so much on this deal becoming operative, so that they can do prolific business in India. As USA has stopped building new nuclear power plants in their own country for the last 25 years,these firms namely Westinghouse & General Electric,who have lots of clout, in their own interest, will try their level best to see the deal thru NSG & American congress. Maybe we have to compromise on certain points, language of the new draft will be camouflaged in such a manner (Shiv Shanker Menon is sitting in Washington for this very specific purpose), that our dear PM will be able to save his face. So dont worry there is still hope for all of us who want India to be firmly in the American camp.
Blame the mess on inadequately defined and articulated energy or nuke policy in the international forum. Who gains most by weaning India away from petro fules by providing nuke fuel under any agreement? The Western nations of course who fears petro price rise due to aggressive and massive consumption by India. That is why some countries oppose the deal with tacit monetary support from the oil rich countries who fear losss of oil profit from Indo-US nuke deal.If India had strengthened its position with a well developed commercially viable renewable energy and coal alternatives,it could have very easily brought the oil lobby to its knees and got the better out of the nuke deal. Nothing is lost even now. Suck all Indian blackmoney thru lucrative long term government bonds and thru conditional pardon, deploy all unemployed youth with decent wages paid partly now and partly thru bonds, tap all industrial enterpreneurship thru incentives and long term tax breaks, unify all wise elements across all parties (including naxalites) and all religious heads (including hard cores)just on these two issues of ENERGY INDEPENDENCE & ENERGY SECURITY, tap all NRIs and other donors good will by naming every single element of activity or mile stone after the beneficiary,divert industrial sponsorship from the hollow stage managed cricket matches to national projects to upgrade our coal and renewable energy sectors.Let the struggle for our energy independence begin HERE and NOW.
The US Cowboy has led the Indan Sardar to the GARDEN PATH of No Clear Deal.Sardar went to US wearing the proud sikh Head gear but only to realise that the same was replaced with a cowboy hat when he returned to india after sigining the 123 Deal.
Something like this can only come from Bidwai. He is an eternal opposer of anything good for India. He lives in a fools paradise, with Leftists as his neighbors.
Writes for Pakistani papers, condemning all of India's interests!
And this article is nothing but a Gloat.
The reality lies elsewhere. The countries who are opposing this deal are smaller than some of our villages. It is matter of time before all of them come on board, as world can't ignore 1/5th of the humanity, that will pollute the world beyond repair, if they did!!
Besides, in 10 years India will start commanding the same kind of clout that China presently has, and will dictate to the world. It is world's chance to put some conditions on India, or loose the chance to put conditions forever!!
What is wrong if India does sign the NPT and pursues a peaceful nuclear programme of energy. The NSG members are themselves signatories of the NPT and they are justified in insisting that India too follows the line. In fact, India must push the line for the dismantling of all nuclear weapon systems all over the globe. In this day and age, the danger to the Indian state is not from the Nuclear Weapon states but from those countries fomenting civilian terrorist groups and waging a war to destroy the economic assets of India. India has very poor record of handling armed terrorists and there is no reason to put a nuclear weapon in the hands of these people.
Re: The Nuclear Deal
by Balasubramaniam R on Aug 30, 2008 12:09 PM
Sorry Mr Ravi there is a slight catch there. While the NSG members have signed NPT it does not mean they do not have nuclear weapons. The big five have it and can continue to have it as per the treaty while the other countries are only stooges of US. India is a nuclear weapon power, if it signs the NPT it has to give up its Nuclear weapon option. India says it is ready to do so but the big five should also give up wepons and go for full nuclear disarmament. Obviosly that is not acceptable to the big powers, there lies the problem. Coming to this article Mr Bidwai is a traditional India Basher so one cannot read too much into his biased opinion. No one expected the NSG draft to sail through it will have to be fought as was the case with 123 agreement. lets wait and watch. Even if the deal does not come through India's pride will remain high as it has stood its ground on its conditions which are not without reason as suggested by Mr Bidwai.
i guess the nuclear deal must be important particularly when people like praful bidwai finds time to comment upon it. by the way , why dont we ask the opinion of the millions of people currently under water due to kosi flooding ? why dont we add their voice to this debate ?i am convinced that pro-people bidwai -secular to boot-will not object !!!
