NEW DELHI, July 29: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh appeared to assure parliament on Friday that the Iran gas pipeline project was no issue with the United States as President George W. Bush and his administration accepted New Delhi’s legitimate requirements from ‘all sources’ of energy.
“India’s quest for energy security as an essential component of our vision for our development was a significant theme of my talks,” Dr Singh told the Lok Sabha in a widely watched statement.
“I elaborated the imperative need for India to have unhindered access to all sources of energy, including nuclear energy, if we are to maintain and accelerate our rate of economic growth,” he said of his meeting earlier this month with President Bush.
“I am pleased to state that the US understood our position in regard to our securing adequate and affordable energy supplies, from all sources,” Dr Singh said in remarks prompted primarily by the public opposition to his visit by India’s communist parties.
Dr Singh said his approach outline before the Bush administration will ‘enable us to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.’ He added it would have concomitant advantages for all in terms of reduced pressure on oil prices and environmental sustainability.
“It was in this context that we affirmed the importance of cooperation in the civilian nuclear energy sector. The US side undertook to adjust its laws and policies domestically and to work with its friends and allies to adjust relevant international regimes.”
“Full civilian nuclear energy cooperation would include, but not limit itself to, the expeditious consideration of fuel supplies for Tarapur,” the prime minister said.
“The US will also encourage other partners to consider similar requests favourably. We also obtained consideration of our desire to participate as full partners in the International Thermo Nuclear Research Project and the Generation IV International Forum,” he said.
“These programmes in frontier areas of science and technology have considerable potential for our country’s and indeed global energy security in the future.
