If N-deal fails India’s credibility will suffer: Experts

New Delhi: The nuclear deal is on the backburner. International experts have warned that there could be international implications and India's credibility will suffer a setback.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, “This is not a single issue Government. If the deal does not come through it will be a disappointment. But in life one has to live with certain disappointments and move on."

With that the Prime Minister virtually confirmed the nuclear deal was on the backburner - the priority was to ensure the Government lasted its full term.

Meanwhile, Indian diplomats are disappointed. They warned that if India holds back from implementing a signed agreement today the country will face a crisis of credibility internationally.

There are legal implications too. India loses a golden opportunity to end 30 years of technology sanctions. India also loses the opportunity to cement relations with its biggest trading partner the US.

Many fear that a new possibly Democrat administration which takes charge in Washington DC in 2009 may seek major modifications in the deal that maybe unacceptable to India.

There are reports that Hillary Clinton sees the deal as selling out US interests and will junk it if elected president.

But IAEA Chief Dr Mohamed ElBaradei believes this is an unduly alarmist view.

ElBaradei said, “What I see there is a bipartism support in Congress for the US-India deal. So even there is change of administration I will be surprised if there is lack of support for that deal because as I said it makes a lot of common sense. It will help India to lift millions of people out of poverty. It will bring India to its right place at the negotiating table for nuclear arms control.”

Strategic experts say it is possible for the Government to carry forward the safeguards process.

Safeguards approval could be secured at fairly short notice. But with the focus on avoiding elections it would appear the two-year-old effort to end the straitjacket of technology sanctions against India may have unhappily run its course.