The Nuclear Deal is getting interesting. The endgame in the engagement is also getting clearer. The endgame is clearly dictated by the US. The US wants India to sign the NPT, open its nuclear establishment; more importantly the Nuclear Research facilities,to scrutiny ,surviellance and inspection. This is clear as daylight, but the more long term consequences of all this is to totally rubbish all research activities on nuclear fuels, enrichment, military end use products and delivery systems. This is borne out of a lack of trust in our political leadership. The second point is to close all options for India to seek N fuel, creating a feeling that India has no alternatives The law makers in the US are supreme and India has a negligible lobbying power in the US. Whatever the US negotiators may say; there is no question of violating the US law. The past history of the TAPS reactor for Power generation has shown that the US does not hesitate to invoke penal provisions at the slightest hint of even a potential deviation. Lastly, the sheer effort involved introduces a high level of weariness and unguardedness forcing the signatories to gloss over the fine print in the agreement and getting India to accept and get on with it. Indian Negotiators definitely need to be on guard.
