PM calls for consensus on N-deal, defends farm loan waiver

New Delhi, Mar 5: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asserted that the civilian nuclear deal with the US would not compromise India's national interests and called for evolving a national consensus on the issue.

''We will not compromise security needs of our country. Negotiations are on with IAEA (on India-specific safeguards agreement) and we are hopeful this will be successfully achieved,'' he said replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks on President's Address to both Houses of Parliament. ''However there is a need to evolve a national consensus on the matter,'' Dr Singh said.

UNI