Nuke Deal : Nothing can stop India from testing again: Kalam

Pallava Bagla
Sunday, September 07, 2008, (New Delhi)

The Missile Man of India, former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who has supported the Indo-US nuclear deal previously also, spoke exclusively to NDTV in his first reaction a day after the NSG waiver to the nuke deal.

Kalam described how the nuclear deal is good for India, what more does he foresee apart from the waiver and the final pact and on any possible Pokharan III. He also spoke about what he told Mulayam Singh and others that saved the present UPA government and about his relationship with the PM.

The former President said that political groups should come forward, leaving behind their political inclination. They must see to it that the Uranium mines of the country are opened so that our scientists use the Uranium materials what is available within the country, he said.

Here are the excerpts of what Dr Kalam's told NDTV's Science Editor Pallava Bagla in an interview:

On politicians

I have not only told them but many other political leaders. They met me and I told them that India-US nuclear pact is very important in national interest. It is going to help the nation and particularly in the power sector and we should do everything as a nation we should go ahead.

Of course, it is of national interest since I am looking like this. So far India was not in the so called nuclear cub, so we became a part of the nuclear house. So, certainly it is an endorsement to that situation.

And second thing is, I look at it in a different way - we have number of nuclear reactors and all of them are Uranium based reactors. So Uranium, of course, we have shortage even though our many states have got a potential. compared to Thorium we have a limited resource.

So, we need to power our nuclear power reactors for full capacity we need Uranium, this waiver and the pact that we are going to sign is definitely going to assist us in the electricity generation using nuclear reactors.

Well, you see supreme national interest, ok, every country got supreme national interest, any pact or any treaty when the national interest comes in, becomes the highest priority.

On nuclear fuel

We already have a certain reserve of Uranium and this will be the power our nuclear reactors, all of them and future reactors also. But I am pushing, our nuclear scientists are working very hard on Thorium-based nuclear reactor, even then we need some Uranium.

Even then, even Thorium based nuclear reactors that Uranium that we have will become a reserve till then, we buy.

On energy independence

My only interest is energy independence. This is going to help us. This is going to assist us. This energy waiver and the pact will assist us. My only mission is how do you make nuclear power that is electricity using nuclear reactors by the 2030 say about 50,000 MW of power.

Any political system, any political party, the nation is of prime importance. All parties have to work for the nation that is my message. Does it meets your political requirements

On India's road ahead

We have not yet signed the pact but we got the NSG waiver, that is the first step.

Well I am happy, I am happy about the NSG waiver but I'll be more happier on two events if they take place in my country.

First event will be that all the states, there are a few states in our country that have got Uranium reserve. Irrespective of political inclination, they must see to it that the Uranium mines are opened so that our scientists use the Uranium materials what is available within the country.

Secondly, our nuclear scientists say it will take 10 years to become Thorium-based nuclear reactors, they must do it in 5-7 years in mission mode. They should be a number of fast breed and nuclear fast breed reactors.

That waiver, what I am saying, it will be available for us whom the nuclear reactor gets in. But this should be a reserve for us. But mines should be available. Of course, I always get good sleep, no problem.

On the Prime Minister

Well, we talk number of times, we talk a number of times. We are in touch with each other. I respect him, he talks to me, no problem. Yes he called me (after the waiver). I am happy with him.

On Pokharan II and Pokharan III

Pokharan II is actually our nuclear scientist. They all worked together and you know I believe when you say, when you declare moratorium for nuclear test, what does this mean - you have built certain capability and you can build certain types of nuclear weapons with that confidence you said - I will not conduct any more test.

Temporarily, a moratorium you have put, so I believe that is very important. It is an important message. That means we have certain capability, we can do certain types of system.

Now whether we can do further test - you see there is always supreme national interest. When the supreme national interest is there, no pact no treaty nothing can come in between in a nation that is supreme sovereign interest.

So in that case suppose India decides it has to go for supreme sovereign, that means international situation made the nation to do a test.

It has to do a test then the question comes in - now there is a pact we have, they can see the reason why the international situation they are forcing us to the test. Well then the waiver, the pact may stay or the second thing is they may withdraw. but the national interest is always the highest priority.

India will do the test in the supreme national interest, nobody can stop, nobody can stop, but in that case, your question is - what happens to the pact - two things may happed, the may still stand, they may see why you have done the test. There is a reason why we did the test. Otherwise they'll say goodbye, and we'll say goodbye.

Supreme national interest of the nation is to be protected. I am happy there. I told you when supreme national interest comes in - India has to decide, because nothing can come in between.