Task force set up to formulate opinion on N-issue

With India's engagement with the international community in the nuclear field expected to grow, the government has set up a task force to formulate a uniform opinion on the matters related to it.

The three-member task force is headed by noted security expert K Subrahmanyam.

Shyam Saran, the Prime Minister's Special Envoy on nuclear issue, and Arundhati Ghose, former Indian ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament, are its members.

The task force will closely coordinate with the External Affairs Ministry and report to Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon. It will assess India's security interests and nuclear- related issues and work to formulate a uniform opinion.

The aim of the task force would be to correct the misconceptions, particularly those related to India's ambitions for civil nuclear energy.

The decision is significant as it comes in the midst of India's efforts to lobby support in the international community for its civil nuclear energy ambitions.

In the wake of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group is required to change its rules to allow the international community to have trade in the field with India.

New Delhi is currently engaged in seeking support of the NSG members, who are required to change the rules by consensus.