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Nuclear deal clock is ticking: Gates
Tribune News Service

“The clock is ticking in terms of how much time is available to get all the different aspects of an agreement implemented,” Gates told mediapersons. Without specifying any time limit during which India is required to take the steps like firming up the IAEA safeguards and seeking the waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers’ group, the Bush administration has made it known that it might be advisable to get it completed by July. At the same time, officials of the country’s nuclear establishment have said that the safeguards agreement with the IAEA should be concluded soon.

Without naming the Left for its stout opposition to the agreement, Gates observed that the US respects India’s internal politics and hopes that the government would resolve the issue in time. At the same time, he was quick to say that the failure to clinch the nuclear deal will have negligible impact on the deepening military ties between the two countries. The visiting defence secretary met senior BJP leader L.K. Advani whose party is also opposed to the deal.

During his stay for two days, Gates also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee. This is Gates’ first visit to India after taking over as defence secretary in December last year.

Even though the visiting dignitary sought to steer clear of setting any deadlines for the nuclear deal, three American senators had asked India last week to send the deal back to the Congress by May for operationalising it before July.

Offers help on anti missile shield

Noting that India needed an anti-missile defence, the US talked about the possibility of cooperation in developing such a shield.

“We understand India's needs for an anti-missile shield,” Robert Gates said as he held talks with his counterpart A.K. Antony.

Stressing that perhaps a joint analysis could be carried out, he said the two countries were just beginning to talk on what India needs. It would be in the realm of missile defence and “where cooperation between us might help advance that”.

The Indian side insisted that the issue did not figure in the talks between Antony and Gates when they discussed enhancing cooperation in the defence field.

Major US armament makers Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Boeing jointly lead the American missile programme and have made a number of presentations to India on their PAC-III anti-missile system as well as warship-borne Aegis system.

However, US companies have not shared with India their latest and highly advanced THAD anti-missile system.

Both US and Indian Defence Ministry officials said “increase in military cooperation and trade” was on the cards.

The American leader expressed pleasure in India's purchase of six C-130J transport aircraft adding “there are some other deals in the works.”