The U.S. on Wednesday said it trusted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the passage of the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill, even as India said it is well within the agreed timeline on the implementation of the landmark India-U.S. civil nuclear deal.
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said the country was committed to putting in place a nuclear liability regime.
“I have received some feedback on areas of particular interest to members present here — foremost is the implementation of the historic Civil Nuclear Agreement between our two countries signed in 2008,” he said in his address to the U.S.-India Business Council, ahead of the first-ever Strategic Dialogue between India and the U.S.
“We are well within the agreed timelines, of course. The government is committed to put in place a nuclear liability regime. We look forward to U.S. companies investing in India. Many of you are in dialogue with our companies already. We would like it to be as robust a partnership as we have both envisioned,” he said.
In an interaction with journalists, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Robert Blake said the U.S. was very much “encouraged” with Dr. Singh’s recent statement in which he made a strong pitch for the passage of the nuclear liability Bill.
Opposition parties like the BJP and the Left parties are strongly opposed to the Bill in the present form and had even disrupted Parliament when it was introduced last month.
“The U.S. is very much encouraged with the reaction (of Dr. Singh). We trust the Prime Minister,” he said.
“How it is managed is something which we cannot decide. We respect the judgement of the Prime Minister,” he said.
Mr. Blake said the passage of legislation will allow American companies to do business in India.
The passage of the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill is a crucial step in the implementation of the landmark nuclear deal.
Mr. Krishna’s statement came in the wake of the increasing anxiety in America’s corporate sector as they have not been able to get the business so far.
Dr. Singh had on May 24 said all political parties interested in ensuring that India’s atomic power programme moves forward will support the Bill.
