ITS A DEAL. A VERY BIG DEAL.

That was the headline on the Times of India for Friday, the 3rd of March, 2006 after India & the US sealed the civil nuclear cooperation agreement.

It means India places about 65% of its nuclear reactors under IAEA safeguards 'in perpetuity' in return for 'perpetual' fuel supply guarantees. India also retains rights to deisignate any future reactors as civil/military. Plus, the indigenous fast breeder programme is out of the deal's ambit. I think it's a fantastic bargain for India.

If only the ignorant leftists & others against the deal were more aware of the facts. Put in the word 'Nuclear' anywhere & all that comes to most people's minds is bombs. That's a pity. What's even more of a pity is their not even making an effort to find out the truth behind it all. Regressive thinking has kept this country firmly entrenched in the ranks of underachievers .... it's time that someone held a mirror to these people.

Anyway, I hope Bush (who's played a stellar role in getting this through & who came across as far more capable than what he is presented as) manages to sew up the deal in the American Congress. India & the US have moved on to a new era in their relationship with this deal and I hope that this goes on to achieve even greater heights. I'd always wondered why these 2 countries which have so much in common couldn't get on with each other better .... well, it looks like that thinking is in for a change. Well done, Manmohan & his team .... more power to India.