ABC OF NUCLEAR DEAL (123 AGREEMENT)Section 123 of US Atomic Energy Act (1954) allows US to enter into civilian nuclear deals with other countries and all such agreements are called 123 Agreements.India is not a recognized Nuclear weapon state and hence conditions prescribed for non-nuclear states will apply to India.After Pokhran I, US passed the nuclear non-Proliferation Act in 1978 which makes it mandatory to enter into such agreements with countries which have carried out nuclear tests only after US Congress has given authority to waive some of the provisions. This is the US India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act 2006, named after the member who introduced this bill, Mr Henry Hyde.Thereafter India had to conclude a safeguard agreement with IAEA wherein all facilities are subjected to inspections as and when needed. These safeguards are applicable in perpetuity (section 104b 2 of Hyde Act).Then US and India approached and reached an agreement with 45 Nations which form a Nuclear Supplier Group. Then, the 123 went back to US congress for final approval.
1.This will end India’s isolation imposed since Pokhran I1954-India develops 3 stage nuclear programme. StageI- Set up Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors using Uranium to produce power.The fuel which was used is called spent fuel and elements in it like plutonium can be re-used after reprocessing.Stage II- Set up Fast Breeded reactors using plutonium recovered from stage I. The special feature was that it actually gives us more fuel than it uses even after producing electricity, so it overcomes the uranium shortage in our country.Stage III- Use our vast Thorium resources and produce electricity using plutonium and thorium.Stage I is completed. For second stage, a Fast Breed Test reactor is operational since 20 years, a prototype fast breed reactor of 500MW is under construction and should be over by 2011.By 2025 we will be in a position to move over to thorium reactors. This will make us self reliant, both in fuel and technology. India has achieved this despite the isolation
2. The agreement will enable India to produce more power.It is a wrong statement that India is short on Uranium. We have large reserves in Jharkhand, Meghalaya, A.P,Rajesthan and Laddakh.AS per Govt, only the mines of A.P can give us 1200MW for 50 years, so imagine what is there from the other places! A Uranium mine can be developed in 3 years and the reactor in 5 years.Did you know?Uranium shortage in India is due to Manmohan singh who as Finance minister cut the budget for uranium mining.P. Chidambaram reduced allocation for nuclear power schemes from 2333 crores to Rs 889 crores in 2008-09.We can produce 100,000 MW of hydro power in NE India alone.Nuclear energy is more expensive than coal, gas or Hydro. Coal based plants cost 4.5 crores,Gas turbines, 3 crores, indegineously built nuclear reactors 7-8 crore and imported reactor 10 crores ! For 20000MW by 2020, Rs two Lakh Crores would be needed in next 10 years!!! By the way, Uranium prices have shot up by 300% in last two years!What about future escalations?If the costs of reprocessing are considered, then nuclear power becomes 27% more costly than coal based system of which we have reserve of 90 million tonnes! Is this way to welcome foreign companies make money?Australia which has the largest reserves of uranium does not have a single plant and US has not constructed any after 1979!!! So even this myth of the government is shattered!
3. It will dramatically improve our relations with the USA.A one sided agreement will improve relations? At what cost? BJP started this process after the relations deteriorated after Pokhran II, and also started process of strategic partnership but on the basis of equality and not subservience as this govt is doing.A country becomes great on its strength and achievements and not on basis of help from others.
3 more claims by UPA government and the contradictions:Life time supplies guarantee.Right to re-process spent fuel.Right to get superior and sensitive technology.ALL 3 CLAIMS ARE FALSE!There is no guarantee of assured supplies. The US Congress has rejected this.Right to reprocess has been postponed to future date subject that India sets a separate facility for such reprocessing and only if arrangements are worked out between the two countries. This too will have to be passed by the US congress.The issue of transfer of superior and sensitive technology too has been put off to a future date and is subject to an amendment of present agreement.So we are talking of amendments and on none of the three issues has the US made any commitments, except push it to a distant future.
BJP’S BOTTOM LINE:
1. US must give us rights at par with other nuclear states.
2. India will fulfil those obligations as adopted by other states.
3. Indian actions will be reciprocal at any stage.
4. India will accept international inspections only after all restrictions are lifted.
5. The agreement must provide for uninterrupted and unconditional supply of nuclear fuel
6. IAEA inspections valid till the deal holds good only. Not forever.
7. Complete freedom regarding foreign policy options
8. Right of India to terminate the deal on national security grounds..
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