Ex-NSA says deal will make tests difficult

Former NSA Advisor Brajesh Mishra thinks that the Indo-US civil nuclear deal will make it difficult for India to carry out an atomic test because of high cost, reports HS Bartwal.

Former National Security Advisor (NSA) Brajesh Mishra thinks that the Indo-US civil nuclear deal will make it difficult for India to carry out an atomic test as the cost would be far more than in the past.

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The provisions of the 123 Agreement would also curtail India’s right to reprocess the nuclear fuel received from the US, he said on Karan Thapar’s India Tonight programme on CNBC TV.

The deal would also have a bearing on the independent conduct of India’s foreign policy, he felt, stating that the pressures on the government would grow. The US, being the more powerful party, would frequently ask for India’s support every now and then, Mishra said.

“Suppose you have an Iraq type situation…will the government of India — whether it is today’s government or tomorrow’s – be able of say no, we cannot do this, we do not agree with you and we are going to continue with our cooperation with Iraq,” he enquired.

Besides, Mishra pointed out, the agreement also left critical issues like the right to build fuel reserves, right to reprocess and access to sensitive technologies for the pact with the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers’ Group.

If, at any time in the future, India faces a situation which required conducting a nuclear test, any government at that point of time would be in a dilemma, the former NSA asserted.