Indicating a long haul ahead for the civil nuclear deal, PM Manmohan Singh said that India would not force the pact on Japan as he recognized the sensitivities involved. But the two countries also decided to maintain momentum and meet again next month to continue negotiations. “I recognize the sensitivity of the (nuclear) issue in Japan and therefore I would not force it on you,” Manmohan Singh said, while referring to negotiations for a civil nuclear deal with Japan. Dismissing speculation that the deal on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy could be off the table, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said after the meeting of the two leaders that the positive momentum would be maintained and the next round of talks would be held in November-end.
There has been considerable pressure from Japanese entrepreneurs for a successful conclusion of the talks for nuclear cooperation as it offers huge opportunities for Japanese companies. Marubeni, Mitsui, Toshiba, Mitsubishi and Hitachi — are keen on slices of the pie of Indian nuclear commerce. As a matter of fact, these companies have been pushing the political establishment, wary because of the memories of the devastation atom bombs wreaked on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II, to wrap up an agreement with India. But what can give an edge to their anxiety to open doors for business with India is the competition they are facing from South Korea. Koreans are proving to be quite a challenge, with Doosan Engineering threatening to undercut Japan Steel Works’ claim to be the most accomplished in building the core of nuclear reactors. The Koreans signalled their intent when they stole a contract to build nuclear reactors in UAE from right under the nose of the Japanese. Not being shackled by the sensitivity Japan has on the nuclear issue, the Koreans can hope to have an advantage in tapping India’s nuclear market, with chances of a bilateral agreement being inked during Prime Minister Singh’s visit to Seoul scheduled for early next year high. Given the hunger of the nuclear suppliers for contracts, India can hope to leverage its grand plans to tap nuclear energy to realise its aspirations for sustained double-digit growth. Planning Commission member Kirit Parikh had set the target of 20, 000 MW of nuclear energy by 2020. Nuclear Power Corporation of India has set its sights even higher, with its chairman SK Jain recently declaring that the country can hope to have a capacity of 63,000 MW by 2030. Both may sound unrealistic, but can be used by India as bait.
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