15 July:The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has dismissed allegations by the Left and the main opposition BJP that the IAEA safeguards agreement would compromise India’s strategic programme.
Singh was interacting with a group of editors at his residence in the capital.
He highlighted the opportunities for international cooperation in civil nuclear energy to meet the challenge of energy security and high technology development.
"The agreement will in no way impinge on our strategic programme, which is entirely outside the purview of the IAEA safeguards agreement," he said.
The Prime Minister said the IAEA accord would enable India to cooperate in this sector with all the 45 members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
He said concluding the agreements with IAEA and the NSG would end the era of nuclear apartheid against India.
The Prime Minister said that people of India understood the significance of the initiatives being taken by the UPA Government and endorse them.
courtsey DD NEWS