India keen to buy Russian nuke reactors

JYOTI MALHOTRA

New Delhi, January 24, 2007 : India’s keenness to buy four Russian civil nuclear reactors during the visit of Russian president Vladimir Putin beginning tomorrow – and Moscow’s eagerness to sell – also sends a political signal to critics of the Indo-US nuclear deal at home, including the Left.

Left party sources acknowledged that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also sending a political signal to all those who had vociferously criticized the Indo-US nuclear deal while it was being negotiated last year –-- including, themselves.

The sources admitted that the American deal had led to a ``changed scenario’’ which strengthened India’s hand to pick and choose from an array of countries offering high-technology to India.

``Yes, the US deal has opened up opportunities…but the fact also is that if Russia is offering to sell nuclear reactors to India, then India need not now only depend upon the Americans,’’ one Left leader said.

Political observers concede that the Russian nuclear offer had strengthened Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s hand, both at home and abroad.

``The Prime Minister can now openly defend the Indo-US nuclear deal by arguing that India need not restrict itself to buying high-technology only from America. The Russian reactors are a signal that India is willing to buy high-technology from other countries as well, including China,’’ the sources said.

Significantly, two days after India and Russia sign off on their nuclear reactors, during the two-day visit of President Putin beginning tomorrow, India’s special envoy on the Indo-US nuclear deal, Shyam Saran, begins his visit to Washington DC.

Saran’s trip is focused around the bilateral agreement that India and the US now have to sign on the nuclear issue, called the 123 Agreement.

Government sources pointed out that Saran goes to America with the Russian nuclear reactors under his belt. However, if some Americans begin to feel that Moscow is stealing a march on them – even as the Bush administration has been the one to give New Delhi a leg-up on its nuclear status – Saran can always point out the obvious.

Which is, that India can only buy the Russian reactors that are on offer after the Nuclear Suppliers Group amends its prohibitory guidelines. And that can only be done when the US pushes the NSG to do so.

Still, over the last couple of days, all eyes have been on the voluble Russian deputy prime minister Sergei Ivanov announcing, in Bangalore and New Delhi, Moscow’s intention to return to its old theatre of influence, that is India.

From selling four nuclear reactors at Kudankulam to competing in an Indian tender for 126 fighter aircraft that the IAF wants to buy, Russia would definitely make its presence felt, Ivanov said.

ENDS