Let's bridge the gap between perception, politics, and reality
The agreement meets the vital interests of both India and the United States and it will promote a more secure and stable global order. It was not an easy decision for both the leaders, due to criticism in both our countries. But it was a right decision. Its importance cannot be overstated since, both in substance and symbolism the agreement reflects not just one aspect of our relations, but mutual faith and trust which is the essence of any durable relationship.
Brings to the world peace, prosperity and stability
Stabalizes India's neighboring countries
Stablilize world prices at lower level.
Will gaurd against the nexus between terrorists and nuclear weapons.
Kindles industrial and economic growth in Indias neighborhood
Will make gas cheaper by reducing global dependence on fossil fuel.
Will generates jobs in India, U.S., and Europe.
Will facilitate doubling the $40 billion Indo-U.S. trade in next three years.
Generate jobs in entire world
Is an an act of faith and trust.
Protects global environment
Enable India to achieve sustainable 10 percent GDP.
Puts Indo-U.S. relations on strategically firm footing
Will decrease Indias dependence on foreign oil and gas imports
Will spur rapid growth in global indistrial and economic market.
Is convergence of long term Indo-U.S. national interests.
Will strengthen Indias impeccable past record and resolve on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Benefits to United States
Strengthens the U.S.-India strategic relationship and thus enhances stability, prosperity, and peace in Asia and worldwide.
Opens significant business opportunities for American firms, as they will increasingly help meet India's demand for civilian nuclear technology, fuel, and support services. This translates into new jobs, incomes, and markets for the United States.
Promotes the growth of the Indian economy and hence indirectly helps in an expansion of the Indian consumer market, which represents a vast opportunity for U.S. companies in virtually every field.
Helps meet India's surging energy requirements in an environmentally friendly manner since nuclear technology is "clean" in comparison to other technologies.
Brings India into the global nuclear nonproliferation mainstream. For the first time, the international community will have an oversight of India's sizeable civil nuclear program.
India's assurances
Under India's civil military separation plan, which forms part of the U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation initiative, India has agreed to:
Place a majority of its existing power reactors and all future ones with their associated facilities under IAEA safeguards;
Negotiate a safeguard agreement that would place all Indian civilian nuclear facilities under safeguards;
Permanently shut down the CIRUS reactor in 2010, shift the fuel core of the Apsara reactor purchased from France outside the Bhabha Atomic Research Center and place it under safeguards in 2010.
India's pledges in addition
Negotiate and sign an Additional Protocol with the IAEA;
Implement India's recent passage of the "Weapons of Mass Destruction Act of May 2005," creating a robust national export control system;
Refrain from transfers of enrichment and reprocessing technologies to states that do not already possess them and support efforts to limit their spread;
Work with the U.S. to conclude a multilateral Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty;
Continue its unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing; and
Adhere to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) guidelines.
We live in extraordinary time - one in which the terrain of international politics is shifting beneath our feet and the pace of historical change outstrips even the most visid imagination. ...in times of unprecedented change, the traditional diplomacy of crisis management is insufficient. Instead, we must transcend the doctrines and debates of the past and transform volatile status quos that no longer serve our interests. What is needed is a realistic statecraft for a transformed world.
- Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State, United States
Let the debate not be hijacked by a handfull of theologians.
