Even as India negotiates its safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and hopes the US Senate to pass the Indo-US civilian nuclear cooperation agreement, Anil Kakodkar, chair of the Atomic Energy Commission, has sent a subtle but firm message to the world community that an over emphasis on atomic safeguards may be counter-productive to the enhanced deployment of atomic energy. He reminded the world that India sought 'energy independence' through an effective utilisation of its vast domestic thorium reserves.

Speaking at the ongoing 50th General Conference of the IAEA in Vienna, Kakodkar said "cost-effective safeguards are essential so that the safeguard system does not itself become an hindrance to the development of nuclear power". He said "even with the very slow growth of nuclear power, IAEA safeguards had constituted a large fraction of resources available to the agency" emphasising that out of the current fleet of 443 nuclear power reactors operating in the world, less than half are under IAEA safeguards.

Suggesting that IAEA spends far too much on its monitoring activities, Kakodkar said "we have been constantly reminding the Agency of the need to maintain a balance between its promotional and safeguards-related activities". This, analysts believe, is a clear message that "safeguards have no relevance" for a nuclear weapons state like India.

Further Kakodkar reminded the 144 nation audience gathered in Vienna, half a century after the famous Atoms for Peace event, that "as a responsible state with advanced nuclear technological capabilities, India was prepared to look for institutional as well as technological solutions with enhanced proliferation resistance along with an assured fuel supply, without adversely affecting long-term sustainability of nuclear fuel resources."

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