Hailing IAEA's approval of the India's specific safeguards agreement as historic, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said it was an important day for India and thanked the international community, especially the US and the UN energy agency chief for achieving the "milestone.
"I am
delighted to hear that the IAEA Board of Governors has decided today, by consensus, to approve the India Specific Safeguards Agreement. This is an important day for India, and for our civil nuclear initiative for the resumption of India's cooperation with our friends abroad," Singh, who arrived in Colombo to attend the SAARC Summit, said.
The civil nuclear initiative is good for India and good for the world, the prime minister said, adding "as we move forward towards our goal of sustainable development and energy security, the peaceful uses of atomic energy will play an increasingly important role."
"I am grateful to the members of the IAEA Board of Governors, to our partners and friends abroad, and, in particular, to the USA, for making this important step in the IAEA possible.
Singh noted that IAEA Director General Mohamed El Baradei played "a significant role" and said India was looking forward to working with him and his Agency in implementing this agreement.
"I am deeply appreciative of the historic significance of this milestone in our cooperation with the IAEA and the international community in peaceful uses of atomic energy."