India Creates Panel to Study Nuclear Deal

Indian leaders have created a 15-person commission to study the ramifications of a pending nuclear trade agreement with the United States, the Associated Press reported today.  The panel’s creation marks an effort by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to keep control of his political leadership, which has been threatened by communist parties’ opposition to the nuclear deal (see GSN, Sept. 4).

The new commission, announced yesterday by Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, consists of ruling Congress party members, lawmakers from communist parties, and other leaders in the ruling coalition.  While not formally part of the coalition, the communist parties offer key political support to Singh’s leadership.

“It’s a mechanism.  Let us see how it works,” said Gurudas Dasgupta, a leader of the Communist Party of India.

The communist parties have argued that the United States would gain too much leverage over Indian affairs in the nuclear deal, which calls for International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to monitor the nation’s civilian nuclear activities.  Indian nuclear weapon sites would remain closed off (Ashok Sharma, Associated Press/International Herald Tribune, Sept. 5).

Similar opposition has been voiced by the right-wing opponents.

“Separation of our atomic programs into civil and military programs will have dangerous consequences,” said a statement from nationalist group Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh.  “If we separate our nuclear programs this way, we will bring three-fourths of our program and scientists under control of the IAEA, which will be against our national interests” (Times of India, Sept. 5).

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