Nuke deal to benefit both parties: PM

New Delhi, August 13: Dismissing concerns over the Indo-US nuclear deal, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday asserted in Parliament that the country retained the strategic autonomy and "sovereign" right to conduct a nuclear test, if needed.

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Amid opposition uproar and walkout by Left allies, he made a statement emphasising that India's independent foreign policy will remain unaffected by the nuclear deal, which has "mutual benefit" for the two "equal partners".

Responding to concerns raised by the Left, NDA and UNPA over various aspects of the 123 agreement, Singh said India can take "corrective measures" if the US terminates the agreement and the cessation of cooperation will take place after "elaborate multi-layered" consultations.

New Delhi has also secured the permanent upfront right for reprocessing and will be able to develop strategic reserve of nuclear fuel to ensure uninterrupted supplies to the civilian reactors for their lifetime, he told the Lok Sabha, virtually responding point-by-point to the concerns raised by Left and opposition parties.

"There is no question that we will ever compromise, in any manner, our independent foreign policy. We shall retain our strategic autonomy," Singh in midst of continuous slogan-shouting by NDA and UNPA members from the Well of the House.

The Left parties, which have rejected the deal, sat through the Prime Minister's speech and walked out just before he was to conclude. The House was adjourned for the day after Singh's statement.

"The agreement does not, in any way, affect India's right to undertake future nuclear tests, if it is necessary in India's national interest," he asserted.

Underlining that conducting of a future nuclear test would be "our sovereign decision, that rests solely with the Government (of India), the Prime Minister said, "there is nothing in the agreement that would tie the hands of a future government or legally constrain its options to protect India's security and defence needs".

The agreement would "not hinder or otherwise interfere with India's nuclear activities, including our military facilities," he said, while noting that the government has kept Parliament fully in the picture at various stages of negotiations of the agreement and even "gone far beyond any previous government".

"Nothing in the agreement would impinge on our strategic programme, our three-stage nuclear power programme or our ability to conduct advanced research and development," Singh stressed amid demands of NDA and Third Front for scrapping of the deal.

The Prime Minister, who created political ripples by daring the Left to withdraw support to his government after their rejection of the nuclear deal, said "I will let history judge... When future generations look back, they will come to acknowledge the significance of this historic deal."

Observing that the deal will "open new doors" in capitals across the world, he said "in the days to come, it will be seen that it is not just the US, but nations across the world that wish to arrive at a new equilibrium in their relations with India."