Now, deliver on dreams

By Manish Anand

So, the deal is done. Now, it's time to deliver on the dreams sold (successfully or unsuccessfully)to the people. The NSG waiver for Indo-US nuclear deal, "snatched" with the Big Brother using arm-twisting to the perfection, gives India the opportunities to source critical nuclear technology from all over the world.

In 20 years time, India's dependence on oil should cease. The largest network of the trains in the world must run on nuclear power. India must contribute significantly in the process of reducing carbon emission, notwithstanding the arguments of the developing world. The industry must get round the clock power at affordable rate. The nuclear power should not come at a price that consumers find hard to buy them, as Rs 16 a unit at the current rate and much higher 20 years down the line would break the bone of the consumers. The nuclear energy must be indigenised at the highest possible level.

I had been critical of the Indo-US nuclear deal in my posts. But I do not hold to the views that with this deal India would not be able to protect Iran from US's bullying tactics. For India, India should be important. The romantic world views of the JL Nehru practiced by the successive governments led India nowhere. The country is badly hemmed in with the hostile neighbours China, Pakistan, Bangladesh which will soon get the company of Nepal also. India must assert itself.

The euphoria of the proponents of the deal that India got it without signing the Non-proliferation treaty (NPT) and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is all eyewash. The deal along with its auxiliary appendage has got India to accept both NPT and CTBT. Not much harm in that, by the way.But the nuclear commerce and the resultant strategic relations must be multilateral and should not be just US specific. India is irrevocable integrated with the US economically and it is both ways. The business interests of the two countries will ensure the safety of the deal, but it must be matured at the highest political level. This would come only if India becomes economically, politically and militarily strong.

The fear of India becoming a banana countries was too sadistic but the political sovereignty of the country needs to be redressed and the country must state convincingly that it will not provide help to any of the military pursuits of the US anywhere.The next decade looks too exciting with the country showing signs of growing out of the old fatigues.