“Indian scientists and technologists are capable of making Light water reactors and we are already constructing a LWR at Kalpakkam for submarines,” said P K Iyengar, former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission at a public debate on Indo-US deal organised by Swadeshi Jagran Manch and other NGOs here on Friday. The LWR is expected to be imported in large numbers once the Indo-US deal is signed.
Expressing his anxiety on the terms and conditions of 123 agreement, Iyengar said if the clause on licensing (2.1) could dropped be from the agreement then at least “we do not have to say that the Hyde Act will apply.”
Quoting Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Iyengar said signing the civilian nuclear agreement with the Americans is like signing the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the  Hyde Act is even severe than the NPT.
The Hyde Act was ratified by the US Congress as it satisfied all their aspirations while they may not ratify the 123 agreement, he said.