New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's address at a conference on nuclear disarmament has many people worried.
For a man who is singularly identified with pushing the Indo-US nuclear deal aggressively, Manmohan Singh only once obliquely referred to the deal in his speech.
He said nothing about the political deadlock over the deal with the Left and did not give any hint of what moves the Government is making to break the deadlock.
This silence is odd, because a draft text of the safeguards agreement with the IAEA has been finalised and it's on hold for lack of Left approval.
“India's energy needs will rise. We will need to create an international convention in which nuclear technologies are used,” he said.
The Prime Minister was addressing a conference on nuclear disarmament in Delhi. He also warned against nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists and non state actors.
“Government is wishing to create an international environment in which nuclear technology is used not for destructive purposes but for helping us meet our national development goals and our energy security,” he said.
“The government is pushing the nuclear deal with the US as it will open the country's doors for cooperation with international community in the field, ending 34-year-old isolation. The government's efforts are, however, facing stiff resistance from Left allies who are opposed to operationalisation of the Indo-US nuclear deal,” he said.
Making it clear that India is in no arms race with anyone, Singh said the country, which has witnessed rapid economic growth in the last few years, and "is poised for even higher growth rates in the futre, needs a peaceful international environment."
(With PTI inputs)
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