Indo-US nuclear deal: Signed, sealed and delivered

11 October 2008

Washington: In an impressive ceremony held late Friday afternoon in the Benjamin Franklin Room of the US State Department, Indian external affairs minister, Pranab Mukherjee, held hands with his US counterpart, secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice for a long moment soon after signing the Indo-US civil nuclear co-operation deal. In a historic setting it was indeed a historic moment, marking the end of 34 years of US sanctions on nuclear trade with India.

Perhaps, more than the end of a sanctions regime the occasion also marks a turning point in the bilateral relationship of these two democracies.

"The world's largest democracy and the world's oldest democracy joined together by our shared values and increasingly by many shared interests now stand as equals closer together than ever before," said Condoleezza Rice.

Following Rice's speech, Mukherjee said, "Today is an important day for the India-US relations."

"This agreement is one most visible sign of the transformed relationship and partnership that our two countries are building together," said Mukherjee,

The signing of the 123 Agreement comes within two days of the US president George Bush signing into law the US-India Civilian Nuclear Cooperation and Non-proliferation Enhancement Act and also in less than 10 days of its ratification by the US Congress.