India serious on deal: Ashwani
India may continue to hard-sell the Indo-US nuclear deal to the international community despite problems at home.
By Shantanu Nandan Sharma, TNN |
JOHANNESBURG: India may continue to hard-sell the Indo-US nuclear deal to the international community despite problems at home. Addressing business leaders and academics at Gordon Institute of Business Sciences, here on Monday, Union minister of state for industries Ashwani Kumar said that India had been pursuing the deal seriously as it would ensure 20,000 MW of power through the non-conventional way.
“The nuclear energy will help India grow on a sustainable basis. It will help every Indian village get electricity,” he told the gathering. Mr Kumar was delivering a talk on ‘India moving into double digit growth: dream or reality’ at the prestigious institute in Johannesburg.
Talking to ET later, Mr Kumar said the government had not given up its hopes on the nuke deal. “We will continue to share with the international community that the nuclear energy is important for India’s growth, and we will get nuclear energy sooner or later. At present, we have decided not to operationalize the deal because of our political compulsions, and that’s all. Have we ever said that we have abandoned the deal? The deal is still on,” he said.
Mr Kumar is in South Africa to inaugurate the India Engineering Exhibition (INDEE), 2007, the largest ever Indian show in the African continent. Over 170 companies have participated in the fair. In fact, India’s trade with South Africa stood at $3.9 billion in 2005-’06 registering a growth of 34% from the previous fiscal. Both the countries have aimed to treble the bilateral trade by 2010.
The South African government and business leaders, keeping a close watch on India’s economic and political affairs, feel that India will continue its robust growth, and will also achieve the coveted nuke deal. Dr Essop Pahad, minister in the Presidency, South Africa, told ET that they had all support for India clinching the deal.
“We are told that concerned political parties in India are still negotiating on the deal. My understanding is that it may take some more time, but it’s happening. After all, everybody agrees that countries such as India and South Africa need nuclear energy for future generations,” the South African minister said.
“The nuclear energy will help India grow on a sustainable basis. It will help every Indian village get electricity,” he told the gathering. Mr Kumar was delivering a talk on ‘India moving into double digit growth: dream or reality’ at the prestigious institute in Johannesburg.
Talking to ET later, Mr Kumar said the government had not given up its hopes on the nuke deal. “We will continue to share with the international community that the nuclear energy is important for India’s growth, and we will get nuclear energy sooner or later. At present, we have decided not to operationalize the deal because of our political compulsions, and that’s all. Have we ever said that we have abandoned the deal? The deal is still on,” he said.
Mr Kumar is in South Africa to inaugurate the India Engineering Exhibition (INDEE), 2007, the largest ever Indian show in the African continent. Over 170 companies have participated in the fair. In fact, India’s trade with South Africa stood at $3.9 billion in 2005-’06 registering a growth of 34% from the previous fiscal. Both the countries have aimed to treble the bilateral trade by 2010.
The South African government and business leaders, keeping a close watch on India’s economic and political affairs, feel that India will continue its robust growth, and will also achieve the coveted nuke deal. Dr Essop Pahad, minister in the Presidency, South Africa, told ET that they had all support for India clinching the deal.
“We are told that concerned political parties in India are still negotiating on the deal. My understanding is that it may take some more time, but it’s happening. After all, everybody agrees that countries such as India and South Africa need nuclear energy for future generations,” the South African minister said.
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