N-deal will help India advance tech: Chidambaram

KOLKATA: The Indo-US nuclear deal would enable India to work with a number of countries to advance its nuclear technology, eminent atomic scientist and former member of the IAEA R Chidambaram said on Monday.

"I support the deal. Many countries are interested in working with India in various areas of nuclear technology. It will be possible once the deal is done," Chidambaram, now chairman of the Union Cabinet's Scientific Advisory Committee, told newsmen after delivering the Raja Ramanna Memorial lecture at the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre here.

He, however, parried a question whether the deal would see the light of day, given the Left parties' opposition to it. "I cannot answer that. I am not good at politics. Ask me scientific questions."

On the issue of fuel recycling, he said India would continue its programme of closing the nuclear fuel cycle taking advantage of the country's rich reserve of thorium.

Asserting that nuclear power was the only answer to the energy requirement of the future, he said the country's target for 2020 was to generate 20,000 MW of nuclear power against 4,000 MW at present.

Chidambaram said nuclear technology can help in sea water de-salination by providing the power and the low quality heat required for the process. These are available at the Kalapakkam nuclear facility.