India needs no US support for strategic programmes: Pranab

New Delhi, Dec 19 (UNI) India does not require the support of the United States for its strategic programmes but cooperation with the US in civil nuclear energy would help to access technology needed to utilise ''the mettle of our scientists'' to the fullest, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Rajya Sabha today ''Unless the United States extends such a cooperation, no other country is going to extend it,'' he said, while winding up a more than six-hour-long Short Duration Discussion in the Upper Chamber of Parliament on the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.

The Lok Sabha had earlier yesterday debated the Indo-US Nuke Deal.

Referring to criticism from the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party as well as the Left allies of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) on the new US legislation in this regard, Mr Mukherjee said, ''We need not be unnecessarily agitated over a non-issue.'' In this context, he said, ''the basic issue is whether we are going to maintain the parameters which were clearly indicated in the Joint Statements dated July 18, 2005 and March 2, 2006 and the 123 agreement which we are to sign....'' Mr Mukherjee said nuclear energy, besides being a cleaner fuel, was going to be a major component in India's energy basket. It was also a fact that India accounted for 30 per cent of the world thorium reserves. ''But the biggest stumbling block is access to technology....'' ''Our scientists cannot show their mettle to the fullest extent, if this apartheid is not removed....'' ''Though it is true that there is a problem in accessing technology, equipment and material, we will not compromise on our basic national interests,'' the External Affairs Minister assured the House.

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