N-deal ball back in India’s court- Hindustan Times

N-deal ball back in India’s court- Hindustan Times

Indo-US agreement has become a fish bone stuck into UPA government's throat. Dr. Manmohan Singh's government is going to have hard time swallowing it because of India's nationalist nuclear scientists. Let us not forget that these scientists decided to stay back in India and work on India's ambition of becoming a superpower while many left the country and decide to work in other countries. It is very unlikely that these scientists will digest highly intrusive IAEA inspections. Dr. Manmohan Singh's government has tried to bully and pressurise these scientists in the past but without success. Many hawks in the US have argued that Indo-US nuclear agreement is not in the interests of US either because it will open the doors for such agreements by Russia and China. Rigidity on the US side is an indication that this agreement will take its last breath if nothing gets done under Bush administration. Many hawks in India view this agreement as a poor diplomatic choice of Dr. Manmohan Singh government, and perhaps a compromise with India's sovereignty. It also shows how poorly Indian politicians and diplomats understand the US political system.