Nothwithstanding the Left parties' strident stand, the government on Wednesday said it would like to sign the nuclear deal with the United States, which has the most sophisticated and advanced technology for generation of energy, in order to avoid risking international isolation.
India has no option other than signing the deal under the 123 Agreement if it wants to avoid the risk of international isolation, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters in Agartala.
"Communist Party of India-Marxist says is not against signing a nuclear deal but they say we cannot sign this deal with America. If we sign such a deal with France or other country they have no objection," Mukherjee, who was in Agartala to campaign for party candidates in the February 23 assembly elections in Tripura, said.
"But we would like to sign this deal with America because they have the most sophisticated and advanced technology for generation of energy," he said.
"India has no option other than signing the deal as otherwise it will be isolated internationally. But the Left parties are threatening to withdraw support to the government," he said.
"Many people have asked me if we are really sincere to fight CPI-M when we are running the government at the Centre with their support.
I want to say that the Left supports us to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party away from power and I do not see any risk of their withdrawing support if we oust them from power in the coming assembly elections," Mukherjee said.