BEIJING, Dec 18 (Agencies): The landmark Indo-US civilian nuclear energy deal enjoys vast support in America and promises to go a long way towards addressing India’s growing energy needs, US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman has said.
“A vast majority of US Congressmen are supporting the Indo-US nuclear deal and the idea is to strengthen India,” Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Murli Deora quoted Bodman as telling him during the weekend.
Deora and Bodman attended the first-ever meeting of energy ministers from India, China, the United States, Japan and South Korea here on December 16.
Commenting on the Indo-US nuclear deal, Deora said it will help India in a long way to address the country’s growing energy needs at competitive price.
“It will also provide us with clean energy.
The agreement is in our overall interests,” Deora told PTI before winding up his visit to China.
On the concerns of the Left Parties on the Indo-US nuclear deal, Deora said: “the Communist Parties are our friends.
They will soon realise that the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement is India’s overall interests.” The minister also noted that China and the US have just inked a nuclear energy agreement on the sidelines of the five- nation meeting of energy ministers.
Deora also noted that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had himself clarified the government’s position on the Indo-US nuclear energy agreement in the Rajya Sabha.
Apart from attending the first meeting of oil ministers of the world’s five major oil consuming nations, Deora also held talks with the Chairman of China’s National Development Reform Commission, Ma Kai yesterday.
Deora and Ma also signed a MoU for strategic cooperation in exploration and production (E&P) activities in third countries signifying expanding hydrocarbon cooperation between India and China.