Putin it right

Russia's promptness in supplying 60 metric tonnes of uranium to India, thereby ensuring enough fuel for the Tarapur 1 and 2 reactors (2 X 160mw) for the next five years, is confirmation that the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal is on the right track. Countries like France and Australia are now waiting for approval of the Indo-US deal to pave the way for them to do business with India in nuclear fuel and high technology. The fact that talks took place on the issue when Australian prime minister John Howard visited New Delhi immediately after US President George Bush, only underlines the interest Down Under.
For India, notwithstanding protests from the Left parties, there is no reason to be apologetic about the deal. The latest report of McKinsey Quarterly says that India's energy appetite will grow by 40% in the next five years. Rightly, the Indo-US deal was agreed upon keeping in mind the assessment that there will be tremendous strain on existing infrastructure if efforts to meet surging demands are not met swiftly. Excessive focus on India's weapons programme is unwarranted. To those questioning the deal on this account, a befitting counter is to seek an answer to meeting India's energy needs. Oil prices have doubled up in the last few years. Of our entire energy matrix, coal meets 33% of the demand, while oil constitutes 26%. Lignite and natural gas collectively provide for about 10%. Nuclear energy provides for a measly 3%. With the deal through, projections are that nuclear energy share will go up to at least 25% in the next 30 years.

The US position is that the agreement is good for overall American security because it will achieve two things, one, bring India's civilian nuclear programme into the international non proliferation mainstream and two, assist the US economy as it will help meet India's energy needs. Both are entirely valid. It is now for the government to build on the diplomatic advantage gained with the Indo-US deal to seal more such deals with other countries that are willing so that energy shortage does not come in the way of India's dream of achieving 10% growth.