A done deal as US Senate passes nuclear pact

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh referred to it as virtually the "done deal" and so it was as the US Senate voted overwhelmingly in favour of India getting the formal right to enter into civilian nuclear commerce with other countries after 34 years in the wilderness, due to sanctions.

The agreement has ensured that India's emergence as a global power has now been formally certified. And the irony is not lost that this distinction has come on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the architect of India's independence.

The endorsement by the US Senate was preceded by a classic case of statesmanship by the Indian prime minister when he finalised the fine print of a nuclear cooperation contract with French President Nicolas Sarkozy this week, thus upping the ante for a quick decision even as the Senate had bigger issues to contend with, like the $700 billion bailout.

So even as the opposition back home carp that the current government has "sold out" to the US by agreeing to buy 10,000MW of nuclear power, others armed with more forethought reckon that this historic accord will help to address the country's energy shortfall, helping it gain more mileage as it builds on its process of rapid industrialisation.

There are critics who will offer that India's quest for civilian nuclear energy may result in an unprecedented arms race in the region by those who fail to comprehend the country's true intentions, but the fact that Singh was even willing to risk the future of his own government towards realising this goal should illustrate his courage, vision and fortitude towards this endeavour.

The onus is now on India to be an anchor of stability in South Asia and an engine that drives growth not just at home but in the region.