http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/31688/story.htm
Nuclear Energy Tops Indian PM's Agenda in the US
INDIA: July 18, 2005
NEW DELHI - India's prime minister visits the United States next week
hoping to seal a growing friendship with Washington with a landmark
deal over sharing nuclear technology and backing for a UN Security
Council seat.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's three-day state visit starting July
18 is being seen by New Delhi as a touchstone of President George W.
Bush's intention to take the relationship between the world's two
largest democracies to new heights.
Singh will hold talks on issues ranging from defence to trade,
aviation to agriculture. But the success of his visit may be measured
by whether the Bush administration agrees to help boost India's
civilian nuclear energy programme and back its candidature for a
permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
"What this visit would be doing is reaffirming at the highest level
the transformation that is taking place in India-US relations,"
Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said. "What we are really
looking at is a genuine partnership between India and the US"
Relations between India and the United States have come a long way
from the days of the Cold War when the two countries were on opposite
sides.
India's economic reform programme, its huge market, a booming
information technology industry, its military might and potential as
a counterweight to China have all combined to bring New Delhi closer
to Washington.
Today, the two capitals are talking about India buying US F-16
fighter jets and nuclear reactors -- a far cry from the days when
Washington imposed sanctions on New Delhi after it conducted nuclear
tests in 1998.
DIFFERENCES OVER IRAN
India, which has refused to sign most global non-proliferation
regimes saying they are discriminatory, has been looking to develop
its civilian nuclear industry with Russian and US help.
At present, a measly three percent of India's total power requirement
is met by nuclear energy, a proportion New Delhi aims to increase to
around 25 percent by 2050.
Foreign Secretary Saran said India wanted to move from talks to
action when it comes to accessing US civilian nuclear technology. But
any deal would have to reckon with a US bureaucracy and Congress
still upset over India's nuclear weapons.
"If there is a deal on civilian nuclear energy cooperation it will be
a major achievement as it basically means the US administration has
decided to hold in abeyance non-proliferation laws," said Bharat
Karnad, an analyst at the Centre for Policy Research, a New Delhi
think-tank.
Securing support for India's candidature for a permanent seat on the
UN Security Council could be even trickier.
New Delhi is part of a group called the G-4 -- Germany, Japan and
Brazil, all aspirants for permanent Security Council seats.
Washington has opposed a resolution moved by these nations to enlarge
the Security Council, saying time is not ripe for change.
So far, the United States has only backed Japan, but Indian officials
hope Singh might win the White House over.
Much hinges on whether the two nations can resolve differences over Iran.
India is pushing for a $4-billion plan to build a gas pipeline from
Iran through Pakistan, brushing aside US concerns over the project as
Washington pressures Tehran over what it says is a secret nuclear
weapons programme.
Given India's soaring energy needs, some say Washington might find it
hard to block the pipeline deal -- unless it is prepared to extend a
helping hand to India's attempts to develop alternative, nuclear
sources of energy.
"Iran is the big roadblock, there is simply no meeting ground here,"
said Chidanand Rajghatta, the Washington-based foreign editor of the
Times of India newspaper.
"It's the ghost in the room both sides will have to ignore to move
ahead on other fronts. So far, both sides have expressed intentions
to achieve a greater degree of clarity and consonance in their ties.
This visit will reveal if they have the will."
Story by Y.P. Rajesh
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
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