M A I N   N E W S

No erosion of N-doctrine, says PM
Rajeev Sharma
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 27
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today made his government’s first major policy announcement on the Indo-US nuclear deal when he told Parliament that while preparing a Separation Plan, there had been no erosion of India’s Nuclear Doctrine “either in terms of current or future capabilities”.

The Prime Minister’s suo motu statement, a five-page document which he read out in both Houses of Parliament, also marks another first - that the UPA Government accepts India’s Nuclear Doctrine prepared by the previous NDA Government and there is continuity in India’s nuclear policy. Since the 20 months of its tenure so far, the UPA Government had never hinted at amending or changing India’s Nuclear Doctrine, thus lending bipartisan support to it.

Dr Manmohan Singh made the following categoric announcements which have a direct bearing on India’s long-term strategic programme:

• The Americans have been clearly told that India cannot accept safeguards on its indigenous Fast Breeder Programme. “Our scientists are confident that this technology will mature and that the programme will stabilise and become more robust through the creation of additional capability.”
• India’s limits are determined by its overarching commitment to national security and the related issue of autonomy of its nuclear programme. “Our Government will take no step that could circumscribe or cast a shadow over either.’’
• The government will ensure that no impediments are put in the way of the country’s research and development programme. The fact that Indian scientists have been able to make a success of the sophisticated nuclear programme gives the government the confidence to engage in nuclear deal negotiations with the US “as an equal partner”.
• Negotiations with the US are currently at “a delicate stage” which can’t be shared with Parliament at this stage. “… But we remain firm in that the decision of what facilities may be identified as civilian will be made by India alone, and not by anyone else.”
• The Americans have been told that while discussing the Separation Plan, there are details of the nature and content of India’s strategic requirements that New Delhi cannot share. “We will not permit information of national security significance to be compromised in the process of negotiation." In any case, the July 18 Indo-US Joint Statement was not about India’s strategic programme. Rather it was intended to be the means to expand Indian civilian nuclear energy capacities.

Earlier, both Houses witnessed a heated debate on the Iran issue. Mr Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) said in the Lok Sabha: “This government is definitely losing the goodwill of the Left parties, at least on the foreign policy. This is not a warning. It is only a sad expression.” He said India was distancing itself from the Non-Aligned Movement and becoming unipolar in its approach.

Mr Dasgupta said he did not buy the argument that India had to vote against Iran at the February 4 IAEA meeting at Vienna because China and Russia had voted against. “No country is a model country for us. We are our own conscience keepers.”

In the Rajya Sabha, Mr Shahid Siddique (SP) lashed out at the UPA Government for voting against Iran.

BJP’s Sushma Swaraj, who initiated the debate in the Rajya Sabha, said her party was dead against Iran becoming a nuclear power but this objective should not be achieved to serve US interests, which jointly with Iraq is trying to act against Iran.