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“A decision to undertake a future nuclear test would be our sovereign decision one that rests solely with the Government.”           Standard 123 with a non-nuclear weapon States does provide that in the event of a nuclear test there will be automatic termination if there is any clause of the agreement that is violated. But this is the first time in the history of global diplomacy that this 123 agreement with India obliges the US to understand the context in which India has tested resulting from a changed security environment. In place of the earlier proposal that would have converted a unilateral moratorium into a legal obligation, this time around the 123 agreement commits the two sides to a process of consultation to take into account India’s strategic compulsions.

          Concerns have been expressed about the right to conduct further nuclear tests and whether we have been curbed from conducting nuclear tests in the future. So far as this issue is concerned, our concerns are misplaced. A mere reading of the text will clearly go to show that if at all there is a test, we have to explain the circumstances under which we carried out the tests. That point should be taken into account. Also, it provides for a process of consultation before terminating it.

          The nuclear tests of May 11, 1998 were exercises in assertion of our sovereignty when India defied almost the entire international community and conducted the nuclear tests.  We have a record of safeguarding our national interests at a time when the United States was the dominant super power leading Western Europe, Japan and China.  At that time India was weak economically, politically and militarily.[R71]  Today, India’s strategic partnership is sought not only by the United States but also by the European Union, Japan, and China.  India today – a nuclear power State, a missile and space power and IT power – is growing at nine per cent GDP.  Therefore, I am puzzled why some sections are terrified of India’s sovereignty being compromised by the Indo-US nuclear deal.  That shows lack of adequate understanding of the current international realities and an obsession with images not the reality.  This indicates a total lack of self-confidence.
          Another thing is that the hon. Prime Minister said that it will be our own decision that we will do the nuclear test or not.  It is good.  But after making that statement in the Parliament last time, the US Ambassador to India came public and said that if you do the nuclear test, that is the end of it.  They take a different perception about it.  We have said that we can take our own decision at the time which is suitable to us.
          Now, to spend these huge resources for producing a small percentage of increase in nuclear energy, whether we are going to abandon our programmes of economic development?  When you talk in Parliament about the Government’s flagship programmes being implemented, whether it is a question of Employment Guarantee Scheme or for bringing a legislation for unorganized workers, it is always said that there are serious economic constraints. [r77]  When there are economic constraints to bring about the programmes which will affect the large masses of Indian people, who are common people, here we are spending enormous money to produce a little bit of energy.