Of late, we have had a relatively informed debate on diverse aspects of the Indo-US civil nuclear energy cooperation. The crystallized CPI(M) opposition is spelt out in its pamphlet on the “Indo-US Nuclear Deal”. For the last one year, after Parliament was informed of the proposed Separation Plan, opposition mainly centred around the commitments made and assurances given by the Prime Minister before the negotiation of the 123 Agreement. The Left parties insisted that the 123 Agreement must reflect the fulfilment of those assurances. There was no real debate on the larger US design, affecting India’s sovereignty and of course making India sub-serve the military and strategic interests of the USA. There has now been a perceptible shift in the Left position, which now seeks to address the larger issue of the advisability of collaborating with the US in the field of agriculture, industry and proximity of ties pursuant to the Defence Framework Agreement and the joint exercises conducted by the two military establishments. The allegation now is that civil nuclear energy cooperation is really a part of the larger enterprise through which the US seeks to control our foreign policy and negatively impact our sovereignty.

Before addressing the nature of opposition by Prakash Karat & Co, it is important to look at the dynamic nature of global politics, the challenges that India needs to address in the coming years and the importance of forging close ties with major players in a globally changed environment. The end of the Cold War, the disintegration of the former USSR, the collapse of the Berlin Wall, the end of the Warsaw Pact, the emergence of China as a key Asian power and the formation of the European Union has changed the context of the relations between nation-states in the 21st century. The world hopes to move from uni-polarity to multi-polarity. India, ever since we opened up our economy, has in the last 16 years been recognised as a significant global player and is welcomed by the G8 as an active participant in global policy-making. India must, in an ever-changing world, recognise the role that it is destined to play and the leadership of India must, in the national interest, ensure that we contribute our might in policy-making to meet the emerging global challenges consistent with our national self-interest. India needs to establish friendly relations with key global players: the USA, Russia, China, Japan, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa and others. Foreign policy is a dynamic enterprise, which addresses the realities of today in the context of our concerns for tomorrow. Knowledge is the driver of the 21st century global economy. It is against our national interest to adopt postures and embrace policies that will isolate our people. The prejudices of yesterday cannot become the cornerstone of today’s politics. Had that been so, Vietnam would never have forged such close ties with the US: 10 lakh Vietnamese having been massacred by US forces. The nations of the erstwhile Warsaw Pact countries are now a part of NATO. And the free flow of traffic along Checkpoint Charlie shows how the dynamics of change overcomes deeply felt prejudices. China has embraced capitalist policies like fish takes to water; and Russia collaborates with the West to serve their national interest. In this ever changing world, why should India remain static? The Common Minimum Programme is not in the nature of a Stand-Still Agreement with the Left. India cannot remain Still and Standing while the world moves on.

... contd.