Nuke deal will not hit foreign policy: Pachouri

Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh), Oct 14: Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Personnel Suresh Pachouri today said the 123 Indo-US Nuclear Agreement would not hit India's foreign policy.

''The deal is not at the cost of our relationship with Iran, China and other countries,'' he told journalists here while on a Chhattisgarh visit for attending a private programme at nearby Kota.

Mr Pachouri said a recent attempt was made to place a question mark on the Government's stability by raking up the Ram Sethu and nuclear issues but the Agreement did not endanger the United Progressive Alliance regime and it would complete its term.

''The country has a demand-supply gap of 15 per cent in the power sector. The possibilities of more thermal, hydroelectric, solar and wind energy were explored but their sum total would still not be enough to bridge the gap. Nuclear power emerged as a better alternative as it would generate 30,000 MW by 2020. The present nuclear energy component is a mere 3.5 per cent,'' he added.

UNI