Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit, ElBaradei said that Indo-US nuclear deal would just be a “trigger” to “liberate (India) from the restrictions of the 45 (Nuclear Suppliers Group) countries”.

While ElBaradei stayed away from commenting on the current political stalemate on the nuclear deal, he said that he was concerned about the “end” and not the “means” by which India comes out of the isolation it faces from the NSG. When asked about the importance attached to nuclear energy, ElBaradei said India needs access to all forms of energy, including nuclear energy, failing which it “cannot sustain 9 per cent growth”.

He said that at present share of nuclear power in India is a low 2 per cent while in some of the larger economies such as France, this share is 78 per cent, or for that matter US, Switzerland it is 20 per cent. For a country like India, he said, this share has to go up.

ElBaradei said that nuclear energy is important keeping in mind the high global fuel prices as well as for tackling climate change issues. Added to this, once NSG is also board, India will have access to state-of-the-art technology.

However, in the same breath, the IAEA chief made it clear that he was not batting for the Indo-US nuclear deal but was “batting as a friend of India” to not only give it access to fuel and technology which it is “entitled to” but also ensure India is “regularised” and “integrated” as a “full partner of the nuclear body.” He said “India cannot be an outsider” in the efforts on “elimination of all forms of nuclear weapons”. “I cannot see how this can happen without India being in the centre of the nuclear body.”

In fact, later in a press conference ElBaradei said: “It is just about time when India is free from restrictions imposed since 1974 to be able to interact freely in nuclear technology market both as a recipient and a supplier in the nuclear field”.

In his interpretation, India is a nuclear weapons state. “It doesn’t make much difference whether this was de facto or de jure. ElBaradei, while outlining on what the entire process entails said that this was “standard procedure” involving “standard documents” that just need to be “tailored to make them India-specific”.

FLIP-FLOP on N-DEAL

The shift

• Aug 11: I told (CPM’s Karat, CPI’s Bardhan) it’s not possible to renegotiate the (nuclear) deal. I told them to do whatever they want to do, if they want to withdraw support, so be it.” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

• Aug 14: Our govt entered into this agreement after tough negotiations. It fulfils all assurances that Prime Minister has given repeatedly in Parliament: Sonia to CPP

• Aug 25: There is no alternative to nuclear energy...No one can bully us: Lalu Prasad Yadav at party conference

• October 4: I appeal to all party workers to prepare for the next elections: Lalu at Purnea, Bihar

• October 11: No party wants elections: Lalu

The forces

•When UPA allies, especially RJD and NCP, saw Left wasn’t budging, fear of elections became real

•Embarrassment over Ram Sethu & price rise added to election headache

•Section within Cong argued if govt falls, where is the deal?

•Cong’s best case scenario now: Avert polls, then look for diplomatic way out of n-deal pause

Left preens

•CPI’s A B Bardhan: If they realised the fate of the govt should not depend on n-deal, they should not sacrifice the government at altar of deal.

•CPM’s Nilotpal Basu: Welcome that UPA chairperson and PM reiterating principles of coalition