New Delhi, Nov 28 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today brushed aside the Oppositions apprehensions that the bilateral civilian nuclear agreement with the US will tie the hands of the government from conducting a nuclear test in future, saying that if a need arises for this, New Delhi would conduct it.

“If a necessity for carrying out a nuclear test arises in future, there is nothing in the agreement that prevents us from carrying out tests,” Singh said during a debate in Lok Sabha on the deal with Washington.

Singhs assurance came when the Leader of Opposition L K Advani said in his speech that the terms of the 123 agreement with the US would stop India from conducting a nuclear test in future. Advani said the deal was unacceptable as it was deeply detrimental to the countrys long-term interests.

The Prime Minister went on to say that what the UPA Government has done was only to reiterate what the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government did by committing itself to a unilateral moratorium on conducting nuclear tests.

The much-awaited debate on the Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation deal is underway in the Lok Sabha.

The debate started at 2 p.m. under rule 193 of the Rules of Procedure of the House. Under the rule, there will not be voting at the end of the debate.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi on Tuesday said that the Sense of the House cannot be obtained in a short-duration discussion under Rule 193. You cannot reach a conclusion on a debate which has not been voted in the House.

Dasmunsi indicated that Rajya Sabha might take up the discussion only after December 1.

The government was ready for an early debate on the matter but the Opposition insisted on the presence of Singh during the discussion.

The debate on the deal is taking place at a time when the government has approached the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for India-related nuclear safeguards after the Left gave the government a go ahead for it.

The Left, providing crucial outside support to the Congress-led coalition, is a consistent critic of the deal and has warned the government against operationalising it. (ANI)