Kalam defends nuke deal during interaction with students

Chennai, Aug 14 (UNI) Former President A P J Abdul Kalam today said India had 14 nuclear reactors and the Indo-US nuclear deal would help the country to get nuclear fuel from other countries.

Interacting with students and youth across Tamil Nadu, through a tele-conference organised by Chennai Kendra of All India Radio (AIR), Dr Kalam said the deal was necessary as India does not have sufficient uranium to power the reactors in the country.

He said the country had sufficient Thorium which was not fissile material and conversion of thorium into fissile material would take more than ten years.

''The Indo-US nuclear pact will help India meet this specific requirement'', he said.

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