India dismisses nuclear concerns

India says it wants nuclear power to meet its energy needs

India has dismissed concerns that a civilian nuclear deal with the US will help Delhi produce more atomic weapons.

The controversial deal, which has yet to be ratified by the US Congress, will give India access to nuclear fuel and technology, including reactors.

Critics of the deal say that it could harm efforts to curb the spread of nuclear weapons.

Both countries want to finalise the deal before President Bush's visit to India next month.

India's Ambassador to Washington, Ronen Sen, told journalists that criticism that the agreement would augment India's nuclear arsenal did not "hold water".

We have not obtained [nuclear technology] through covert means from third countries Ronen Sen Indian ambassador to Washington

He said India's nuclear weapons programme was indigenous and did not require outside assistance.

"We have not obtained them through covert means from third countries or with covert agreements with third countries," he said at Washington's National Press Club on Tuesday.

"This debate... has been hijacked over here [United States] by non-proliferation theologians and in India by those rallying under the banner of self-reliance," he said.

Differences

The agreement has been held up over differences on plans to separate India's civilian and military nuclear facilities, on which the deal is contingent.

India has to place its civilian nuclear facilities under international safeguards and open them to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

There are concerns the deal could boost India's nuclear weapons programme

But some members of the US Congress and experts feel that the deal would undermine the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) which India has not signed.

Within India, there is domestic pressure against opening up some of India's nuclear facilities for inspection.

The head of India's Atomic Energy Commission, Anil Kakodkar, said recently that opening up the country's fast breeder reactors would not be in the country's interest.

Fast breeder reactors are particularly suited to producing plutonium for atomic weapons.

A senior US state department official, Nicholas Burns, is due to arrive in India on Thursday for discussions over the agreement.

Landmark deal

The nuclear agreement between India and the United States was signed in July 2005 during a visit by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Washington.

Under the agreement, US companies will be allowed to build nuclear power plants in India, and also supply fuel for nuclear reactors.

The US imposed curbs on nuclear technology transfers to India in the wake of India's nuclear tests in 1998.

Delhi is keen on a deal on ways to share nuclear technology to help meet its growing energy needs.