Indian PM defends US nuclear deal

Indian PM Manmohan Singh has said his government will not compromise national security in negotiating a landmark nuclear deal with the US.
Mr Singh was speaking in parliament ahead of US President George W Bush's India visit which begins on Wednesday.

Under the deal, India would gain access to US civilian nuclear technology.

India is required to place its civilian nuclear facilities under international safeguards and open them to inspection under the deal.

Non-proliferation fears

"No part of this process would affect or compromise our strategic [nuclear] programme," Mr Singh told parliament in the Indian capital, Delhi.


There are fears the deal may boost India's nuclear arms programme

He said the government had "judged every proposal" from the US and the "decision of what facilities may be identified as civilian will be made by India alone and not by anyone else".

India says it has made progress in recent talks with the US in Delhi aimed at ironing out key differences over a proposed landmark nuclear deal.

However, a White House aide sounded a cautious note, saying a deal may not be agreed during the president's trip.

National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley has said the US would use the Bush visit "as a forcing function" to secure an agreement.

"If we can, great. If not, we'll continue to work on it after the visit's over," he told reporters.

Critics of the accord, which has to be ratified by the US Congress, fear it could harm non-proliferation efforts.

Atomic weapons

India's desire to bar international inspectors from its "fast breeder" programme has worried Washington, observers say.

An aide to Mr Singh said last week there was no question of opening up the fast breeder programme.

Fast breeder reactors are particularly suited to producing plutonium for atomic weapons.

If ratified by the US Congress, the controversial deal would give India access to nuclear fuel and technology, including reactors.

There are fears it could help India develop more powerful nuclear weapons. India is bordered by two other nuclear-armed states, Pakistan and China.

India is required to place its civilian nuclear facilities under international safeguards and open them to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).