Nuclear deal would not guarantee energy security.
Our first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru started the atomic age in India under the programme" Atom for peace" with the cooperation of USA, Canada and other countries. After China carried out an atomic test in 1964 in Lop Nor, some of the Indian scientists like Dr.Homi Bhabha were keen to develop atomic weapons for India as well. Later,India was awakened to nuclear threat in 1974 when it tested a 'peaceful' or 'technology demonstration' atomic test by the Prime Minister Mrs.Indira Gandhi and immediately the sanctions by USA and other western countries followed. The threat perception became certainty during the time of Rajiv Gandhi who continued the research in atomic weapons as Pakistan was given this technology by China and the Prime Minister P.V.Narasimha Rao was to test an atomic weapon in 1995 but was pressurised by USA to stop it. The test was conducted by the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Bajpayee in 1998. More sanctions followed. However,suddenly India was recognised as an emerging Asian and World Power. Some sanctions were slowly removed but dual-use technologies were still denied to India..
The IAEA a agreement, 123 agreement and Hyde Act seek to bring India under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) which India had declined to subscribe to because of its discriminatory nature. While providing nuclear power technology, all these agreements seek to prevent India's further atomic tests. The Bajpayee government had declared its intention to stop further tests on its own. In these agreements India is bound from testing forever and would be punished with the withdrawl of all nuclear materials unless USA considers it necessary for India. Whether India should test in future will be decided by USA, not by India. In addition, all our atomic research institutions would be monitored by IAEA and USA. Is it prudent to give up the autonomy to decide our own future needs ? Is it prudent to win the whole world but lose our soul ? The threat from our neighbours is still there and our capacity meet them would be crippled. Euphoria for nuclear deal is mspalced. It reminds one the 'Hindi-Chini' bhai bhai days.
Dr.P.K.Iyengar,former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, has analysed these agreements and has raised many issues which would impinge on our strategic autonomy.He has also mentioned that the price of uranium has tripled in the past three years, from $20 to $85. Nuclear power would be expensive in future. Uranium cartel is as bad as the crude oil cartel. India has to depend on ts our resources for energy security - hydal power,thermal power ( coal gasification reduces pollution) and non-conventional power - solar, wind, bio-mass, bio-gas etc. We have unexplored uranium mines in Arunachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. We have unexplored gas and crude oil in variousparts of the country. Already, Reliance and Cairn India have found oil and gas in Andhra coast and in Rajashtan. We should have the future of our country in our own hands. We should not out-source it.
A letter to the Times of India ( July 17, 2008).
