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Journalism of Courage
Good to invite Korea to make fresh investments,but UPA must clear Posco to sound credible
The second Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul offered no surprises but highlighted a process of international consultation now firmly in place. The concerns flagged include the very worrisome question of loose nuclear weapons and nuclear terrorism. It is welcome that India is part of this international forum,since these are matters of concern to New Delhi,too,as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh underscored in his warning about nuclear terrorism. But the real import of the prime ministers visit is the mutual commitment to their bilateral relationship expressed by Delhi and Seoul.
India,nevertheless,will be tested in its ability to allocate sites for Korean nuclear reactors. Taking off from the bilateral civil nuclear cooperation agreement signed during President Pratibha Patils visit to Seoul last July,Delhi must now take advantage of this critical collaboration. South Korea is a productive rising power,a democracy,and shares its interests with India in structuring a stable balance of power in Asia. It is the UPA government stuck in its policy paralysis and political crises that is the worry. The Koreans have been patient and polite while Indias credibility has been sinking. The UPAs imperative is to deliver on the Posco project,stalled for several years now. Even as Seoul is invited to make fresh investments,Delhi must first clear the political path.
