PM defends N-deal in Parliament

agreement does not in any way inhibit, restrict or curtail "our" strategic autonomy or capabilities, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

The agreement does not in any way affect India's right to undertake future nuclear tests, if it is necessary in country's national interest, Singh said in a statement.

His speech, however, was muffled by loud sloganeering by Opposition MPs, who stormed the well of the House. Repeated requests by Speaker Somnath Chatterjee failed to calm the MPs.

Singh urged those who question government's commitment to an independent foreign policy to display the same degree of confidence in India as others from outside do.

"Thus, there is no question that we will ever compromise, in any manner, our independent foreign policy. We shall retain our strategic autonomy," he said.

Maintaining that the agreement has been negotiated as an equal partner with the US on the principle of mutual benefit, the Prime Minister said the deal does not in any way affect India's right to undertake future nuclear tests, if it is necessary in India's national interest.

"Let me, hence, reiterate once again that a decision to undertake future nuclear test would be our sovereign decision, one that rests solely with the government.

"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," he said.

The Prime Minister said the provision for separation of any fissionable materials in national facilities under IAEA safeguards protects the interest of India's three-stage nuclear programme.

Referring to the US' longstanding policy of not supplying to any country enrichment, reprocessing and heavy water production facilities, he said the current agreement provided for such transfers to India only through an amendment.

He expressed the hope that such transfers would become possible as cooperation develops and expands in the future and stressed that "no prohibition that is specifically directed against India has been included in the agreement."

Noting that the principle of reciprocity has been safeguarded, Singh said there was no change in India's position that it would accept only IAEA safeguards on its civilian nuclear facilities.

"This would also be in a phased manner and as identified for that purpose in the Separation Plan, and only when all international restrictions on nuclear trade with India have been lifted. India will not take any irreversible steps with the IAEA prior to this," he said.

Singh said the agreement confirmed that the US cooperation with India is permanent and no provision states that it would be subject to an annual certification process.

The agreement acknowledges India as a state with "advanced nuclear technology" enjoying the same advantages and benefits as other states with "advanced nuclear technology".

"This agreement makes specific references to India and the US as states possessing advanced nuclear technology, both parties having the same benefits and advantages, both committed to preventing WMD proliferation," Singh said.

On India accepting IAEA safeguards in the Separation Plan of March 2006, the Prime Minister said: "We have not consented to any provision that mandates scrutiny of our nuclear weapons programme or any unsafeguarded nuclear facilities."

He said there were explicit provisions to make it clear that the agreement did not affect India's unsafeguarded nuclear facilities and that it would not affect its right to use materials, equipment, information or technology acquired or developed independently.

Singh reiterated that the Separation Plan provided for an India-specific safeguards agreement with IAEA with assurances of uninterrupted supply of fuel to reactors that would be placed under IAEA safeguards together with India's right to take corrective measures in the event fuel supplies were interrupted.

"An important assurance given is the commitment of support for India's right to build up strategic reserves of nuclear fuel to meet the lifetime requirements of India's reactors." he said.