The Indian government is facing a renewed pressure on Thursday over a controversial nuclear deal with the United States and the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was due to respond to the criticism in parliament later on Thursday.
The renewed pressure stems from the latest accusation that the lawmakers have made the United States of forcing Indian to alter its atomic programme. They also believe that not only is the US trying to indirectly curb India’s nuclear weapons programme, it was also trying to intrude on India's right to pursue atomic research for peaceful purposes.
Yashwant Sinha, a lawmaker from India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is quoted by Reuters as saying, "We have never been in any doubt over the deleterious impact of this deal."
"We believe it was meant to cap India's nuclear weapons programme, our strategic programme," said Sinha, a former foreign minister.
The parliament debate in India came weeks before the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the nuclear deal after the support from the House of Representatives last month.
After negotiations have been sorted on technical details, the deal will then also need the joint approval of the two houses. The Nuclear Suppliers Group of nations that regulates global atomic trade also needs to approve the deal.
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