India will not accept the civilian nuclear deal with the United States if it adversely affects New Delhi's nuclear programme and both sides are now engaged in narrowing their differences over the pact, the country's top atomic scientist said on Friday.
"The basic question is that India's interests must be safeguarded. Keeping this in mind we are discussing the 123 agreement with Washington," Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar told media persons on the sidelines of a function in Hyderabad.
"The main hitch in implementing the deal is that there are gaps between the US and India's positions and we are discussing how to bridge the gaps," he said.
He noted that India is competent in nuclear energy and has proved that the cost of building atomic power plants need not be exorbitant.
"India has built power stations where the capital cost is most competitive as compared to other countries," said Kakodkar, who is also secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy.
With globalisation being the buzzword, India with its technological capabilities of processing zirconium and titanium and producing tubes and pipes out of exotic materials should look beyond and think of getting into exports, Kakodkar observed.
Earlier, addressing a function to commemorate the production of the first nuclear fuel bundle in 1973, he stressed the need to have synergy not only within the Department of Atomic Energy but also with other departments working in the nuclear field.
New horizons are opening up in the field of science and technology and India should prepare itself to meet challenges and cash in on vast opportunities, he said.
"India should be careful to maintain its capabilities to do things in a self-reliant manner. However, self-reliance does not mean working in isolation but engaging all those willing to be with India," Kakodkar said.
The top scientist said India's ambition should be to do something which no other nation has attempted so far.