Patil: Nuclear power key for India

India's President Pratibha Patil empahsized that nuclear energy was an essential element of India’s national energy basket.

This was announced by Patil during the state visit to Switzerland,”  M Ganapathi, secretary (West) in the ministry of external affairs said.

Mrs Patil “underscored that safety of India’s nuclear power plants was a matter of highest priority for the government of India. And the government would do all that it could to enhance transparency and boost public confidence,” Ganapathi said.

“The Swiss side said that they supported UN reforms and considered India’s aspirations to permanent membership as legitimate,” Ganapathi said. They said they were in favour of enlargement of UNSC and that India should be a permanent member but emphasised that enlargement for permanent membership should follow the bigger question of reform of the UN. In turn, the Swiss side sought India’s support for its non-permanent UNSC membership candidature in future. On privileged partnership between the two sides,  Ganapathi said it should enhance all-time relations between the two countries.