Janata Party president Dr Subramanian Swamy, now in Harvard University teaching economics, has said that the celebrations in the United Progressive Alliance circles on the finalisation of the Indo-US nuclear cooperation agreement is highly premature.

He said that the whole event could end up in an acute embarrassment for the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh [Images].

In his statement, Swamy has said that his inquiries reveal that the passage of the proposals to be incorporated into the Hyde Act will require a  categorical commitment that India will not only have no dealings with Iran but will actively support the US efforts to curb the current Iranian regime.

Swamy added that while there is no doubt that Iran has violated it's international commitments as a signatory to the NPT, and should not be allowed to renege on it's treaty obligations, nevertheless the price that is being asked for by the US Senate to ratify the nuclear deal proposals are too high and not worth paying by India.

He said that India should sign the deal only if the US formally recognises India as a nuclear weapons power, and the concomitant rights of that status, then joining the US in the United Nations to make Iran accountable is worth the price in the larger national
security concerns.

Swamy said, "For the present, I oppose these new emerging escape clauses in the Nuclear Deal being suggested for inclusion, including the US' right to abrogate the agreement if India tested nuclear devices in the future. Since we are at the threshold of a breakthrough in the Thorium cycle, the Indo-US Nuclear Deal will scuttle India's hard won self-reliance in nuclear technology without compensating advantages.

Unless the concept of parity of India with other UN Security Council is recognised by the US, India can continue as before without any significant setback for our energy planning."