Proliferation of nuclear democracy
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
Air Commodore Muhammad Zakiul Islam ndu acsc (Retd)
THE United States of America and India signed an agreement for cooperation in the field of nuclear technology during the visit President George W Bush in March 2006. This was a formalized agreement between the countries which followed as a sequel to an understanding reached between the two countries in July 2005. After months of scholarly studies, informative discussions and volatile debates, the legislatures of the two constitutional and functioning democracies, one the oldest and the other being the largest, have finally agreed to ratify the agreement for cooperation in the field of nuclear technology.
This is a very significant development in the first decade of the third millennia for many reasons. The understanding and camaraderie reached between the United States and India for cooperation in the field of nuclear technology would go a long way in writing the modern history. Historical, it was. No wonder, while celebrating the agreement, the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh has said," We have made history today, and I thank you."
The past relationship between the two supers had somehow oscillated between a state of lukewarm to cold since independence of India some sixty years ago. India's infatuation with socialism and its championship for non-alignment was an uneasy cynosure for the USA at best. America's neo - colonial maneuvers and 'dadagiri' in the world stage, on the other hand, were always viewed as an anathema by the Indians.
But times and priorities have changed. Refusing "not to stay stuck in the past" the American administration undertook the mission of breaking the impasse as Mr. Bush described the deal as the "single most important initiative in the 60 years of our relationship" with India.
When India carried out its first nuclear test way back in May 1974, the news was received with usual apathy in Washington. The USA had been wooing all nations of the world including the potential nuclear powers like Pakistan and India to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a request which both sides kept refusing. In 1998, when India detonated a nuclear device, effectively pronouncing it loud a clear that it was now a nuclear power, the United States immediately imposed sanctions including ban on import of food and agricultural items which, among other things, included juicy Indian mangoes. The move pushed the Indo -- US relationship further to the back burner. The economic sanctions were withdrawn after the events of 9/11 when the USA looked for "with us" friends and partners all over the world for its war on terror.
Some analysts have likened the present overture of the Bush Administration to India to that of the Nixon Administration to China some three and a half decades ago.
Incidentally, both India and Bangladesh, then on the making, were behind the Sino-US power and interest curve. And coincidentally, Mr. Bush, the Forty First, was the American Ambassador to United Nations then, lobbying hard to preserve Taiwan's seat in the Security Council in the face of opposition from the People's Republic of China and much of the Third World countries, and when Mr. Kissinger took the secret hop-step and jump over the Karakorams from Islamabad to Beijing.
The oft quoted nuclear lexicons like fission, fusion, enrichment, recycling, kilo tonnage, silo, deterrence, MAD, SALT, START etc. were always received with awe and shock The fact that this immense source of energy also held great potential for peaceful use and was a key to meeting the increasing energy demand was overshadowed by suspicion, lack of trust, secrecy, past memories and future possibility of a nuclear holocaust.
India's move to soften its stance is, perhaps, borne more out of economic expediency rather than geo-strategic or military consideration. With a population of more than a billion and an 8.0% annual growth of the economy, India needs a large amount of renewable energy to stay the course and maintain pace, considering the recent economic boom that about 300 million Indians have climbed through the stairs of middle class. Yet a large multitude of them still live in poverty with less than only 2.0 dollar a day.
The Indian economy is growing and they need cheap, efficient, and renewable and pollution free energy as an engine of that growth.
The deal would end India's long isolation as a nuclear power. They would allow international inspection of the 14 out of their 22 nuclear facilities. These 14 are commercial facilities and the rest 8 are declared to be military and are outside the purview of the "civilian deal". But many observers say that their nuclear programme is so interdependent and intertwined that it would be really difficult to draw a definite line between them.
The nuclear deal would also lead to more US investment in the field of developing commercial nuclear facilities by way of ensuring more efficient import of nuclear technology and equipment resulting in higher nuclear power generation. It is estimated that the eight new nuclear reactors once commissioned will boost India's nuclear power generation from the present 3360 MW to 7280 MW. This would also effectively address the issue of pollution and carbon emission, etc.
Ever since its signing, the deal has seen tumultuous days and was almost on the verge of being scraped or dying a natural death due to non-ratification. The Indian Government of Mr. Manmohan Singh risked being voted out in a no confidence motion and had to grapple with a heady debate and unhappy coalition partners who alleged that the deal would make India excessively dependent on the USA for its nuclear programme. Many argued that the country's strategic programme might suffer as a result. They also alleged that India was moving away from the lofted path of non-alignment, once spear-headed by its founding fathers. The proponents of the deal have, however, allayed such fears saying that the "civilian deal" would, in no way, hamper the strategic programme of India.
Many of Mr. Bush's critic, on the other hand, have accused him of applying double standard, vis- a - vis America's stand against countries like Iran and North Korea and have called into question the efficacy and functionability of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The element of trust, respectability and responsibility of a democratic institution as an international player came as a rescue. "It is not credible to compare ………….North Korea and Iran to India" because, unlike these countries, "India has been a peaceful and vibrant democracy with strong nuclear non-proliferation record." said a statement from the White House.
Everyone would welcome promotion and proliferation of democracy. Availability of cheap, pollution-free source of energy would be a welcome relief, too, for many of the energy-starved developing nations.
The Indo-US deal has set the tone. While the pulpy Indian mango has found its rightful place in the super market of America after long seventeen years, let us hope that overcoming all past fears and mistrust, properly safeguarded nuclear energy proliferates through sharing of knowledge, expertise and technology; under international inspection mechanism, and responsible and respectful governance. Let there be light in every hearth and home, and let there be power for every economy.
THE United States of America and India signed an agreement for cooperation in the field of nuclear technology during the visit President George W Bush in March 2006. This was a formalized agreement between the countries which followed as a sequel to an understanding reached between the two countries in July 2005. After months of scholarly studies, informative discussions and volatile debates, the legislatures of the two constitutional and functioning democracies, one the oldest and the other being the largest, have finally agreed to ratify the agreement for cooperation in the field of nuclear technology.
This is a very significant development in the first decade of the third millennia for many reasons. The understanding and camaraderie reached between the United States and India for cooperation in the field of nuclear technology would go a long way in writing the modern history. Historical, it was. No wonder, while celebrating the agreement, the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh has said," We have made history today, and I thank you."
The past relationship between the two supers had somehow oscillated between a state of lukewarm to cold since independence of India some sixty years ago. India's infatuation with socialism and its championship for non-alignment was an uneasy cynosure for the USA at best. America's neo - colonial maneuvers and 'dadagiri' in the world stage, on the other hand, were always viewed as an anathema by the Indians.
But times and priorities have changed. Refusing "not to stay stuck in the past" the American administration undertook the mission of breaking the impasse as Mr. Bush described the deal as the "single most important initiative in the 60 years of our relationship" with India.
When India carried out its first nuclear test way back in May 1974, the news was received with usual apathy in Washington. The USA had been wooing all nations of the world including the potential nuclear powers like Pakistan and India to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a request which both sides kept refusing. In 1998, when India detonated a nuclear device, effectively pronouncing it loud a clear that it was now a nuclear power, the United States immediately imposed sanctions including ban on import of food and agricultural items which, among other things, included juicy Indian mangoes. The move pushed the Indo -- US relationship further to the back burner. The economic sanctions were withdrawn after the events of 9/11 when the USA looked for "with us" friends and partners all over the world for its war on terror.
Some analysts have likened the present overture of the Bush Administration to India to that of the Nixon Administration to China some three and a half decades ago.
Incidentally, both India and Bangladesh, then on the making, were behind the Sino-US power and interest curve. And coincidentally, Mr. Bush, the Forty First, was the American Ambassador to United Nations then, lobbying hard to preserve Taiwan's seat in the Security Council in the face of opposition from the People's Republic of China and much of the Third World countries, and when Mr. Kissinger took the secret hop-step and jump over the Karakorams from Islamabad to Beijing.
The oft quoted nuclear lexicons like fission, fusion, enrichment, recycling, kilo tonnage, silo, deterrence, MAD, SALT, START etc. were always received with awe and shock The fact that this immense source of energy also held great potential for peaceful use and was a key to meeting the increasing energy demand was overshadowed by suspicion, lack of trust, secrecy, past memories and future possibility of a nuclear holocaust.
India's move to soften its stance is, perhaps, borne more out of economic expediency rather than geo-strategic or military consideration. With a population of more than a billion and an 8.0% annual growth of the economy, India needs a large amount of renewable energy to stay the course and maintain pace, considering the recent economic boom that about 300 million Indians have climbed through the stairs of middle class. Yet a large multitude of them still live in poverty with less than only 2.0 dollar a day.
The Indian economy is growing and they need cheap, efficient, and renewable and pollution free energy as an engine of that growth.
The deal would end India's long isolation as a nuclear power. They would allow international inspection of the 14 out of their 22 nuclear facilities. These 14 are commercial facilities and the rest 8 are declared to be military and are outside the purview of the "civilian deal". But many observers say that their nuclear programme is so interdependent and intertwined that it would be really difficult to draw a definite line between them.
The nuclear deal would also lead to more US investment in the field of developing commercial nuclear facilities by way of ensuring more efficient import of nuclear technology and equipment resulting in higher nuclear power generation. It is estimated that the eight new nuclear reactors once commissioned will boost India's nuclear power generation from the present 3360 MW to 7280 MW. This would also effectively address the issue of pollution and carbon emission, etc.
Ever since its signing, the deal has seen tumultuous days and was almost on the verge of being scraped or dying a natural death due to non-ratification. The Indian Government of Mr. Manmohan Singh risked being voted out in a no confidence motion and had to grapple with a heady debate and unhappy coalition partners who alleged that the deal would make India excessively dependent on the USA for its nuclear programme. Many argued that the country's strategic programme might suffer as a result. They also alleged that India was moving away from the lofted path of non-alignment, once spear-headed by its founding fathers. The proponents of the deal have, however, allayed such fears saying that the "civilian deal" would, in no way, hamper the strategic programme of India.
Many of Mr. Bush's critic, on the other hand, have accused him of applying double standard, vis- a - vis America's stand against countries like Iran and North Korea and have called into question the efficacy and functionability of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The element of trust, respectability and responsibility of a democratic institution as an international player came as a rescue. "It is not credible to compare ………….North Korea and Iran to India" because, unlike these countries, "India has been a peaceful and vibrant democracy with strong nuclear non-proliferation record." said a statement from the White House.
Everyone would welcome promotion and proliferation of democracy. Availability of cheap, pollution-free source of energy would be a welcome relief, too, for many of the energy-starved developing nations.
The Indo-US deal has set the tone. While the pulpy Indian mango has found its rightful place in the super market of America after long seventeen years, let us hope that overcoming all past fears and mistrust, properly safeguarded nuclear energy proliferates through sharing of knowledge, expertise and technology; under international inspection mechanism, and responsible and respectful governance. Let there be light in every hearth and home, and let there be power for every economy.