Manmohan Singh with Barack Obama Manmohan Singh with Barack Obama

Manmohan Singh, India’s former Prime Minister, passed away on December 26 at the age of 92. Singh, a career economist turned politician, left behind a legacy of economic, among which is the Indo-US Civilian Nuclear Deal (CND), which cemented India's status as a global nuclear power. The deal ended decades of nuclear isolation, but Singh's own rolein it underscored not only its importance but also a departure from his signature soft-spoken political strategies.

Finalised in 2008, the CND allowed India access to global nuclear technology and fuel for civilian purposes at a time when the country's energy needs were growing exponentially without the supply to back it. India was not, at the time, a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Singh backed the deal, saying he was "confident it (the deal) would be a milestone" in Indian history.

The deal was negotiated with then US President George W Bush, who at the time had said that "India has earned the trust of the world as a responsible nuclear power." India committed to separating its civilian and military nuclear facilities and placing the former under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In exchange, the US amended its domestic laws and lobbied for India’s exemption from NSG restrictions. This allowed India to import nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes.

Navigating Domestic Opposition

While Singh’s diplomatic efforts were internationally appreciated, the deal faced fierce opposition in India. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) and its Left allies viewed the agreement as a betrayal of India’s sovereignty. And, Singh's party, the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government depended on the support of these allies.

The CPM argued that the United States would undermine India’s independent foreign policy. Prakash Karat, the CPM’s General Secretary, declared, “We cannot allow the government to barter away India’s sovereignty to imperialist interests.” The Left withdrew its support from the UPA in July 2008, reducing the government to a minority.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), at the time the principal opposition, remarked, “The Prime Minister is behaving like a leader who has mortgaged India’s interests to please the United States.”

When the Left withdrew support, Singh turned to Mulayam Singh Yadav, leader of the opposition Samajwadi Party (SP). Singh secured the SP’s support. Yadav later said, “We decided to support the deal because it is in the national interest.”

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The furor over the deal led to a a confidence vote in Parliament on July 22, 2008. The debate was marked by the Opposition members waving wads of cash, alleging they had been given it as bribes to secure votes. Singh is remembered most for his calm declaration at that time: “We are not afraid of elections. We are ready to go to the people and explain to them why this deal is good for India.”

Singh’s government survived the trust vote, with 275 votes in favour and 256 against, a narrow but iconic victory.

India desperately sought an equalizer. They even disposed of goalkeeper PR Sreejesh in the quest for a late goal. The push continued till the very last second of the match, when Shamsher Singh had a clear shot at goal but his strike went over the bar.

"That was a difficult match, we got our chances but could not convert them, that's it. Then you can see it in the scoreline. It's a matter of homework," India's long-time goalkeeper Sreejesh said after the close defeat.

The deal was approved by the IAEA, the NSG, and the US Congress, bringing India into the global nuclear trade. Agreements with nations like France and Russia followed.

The deal remains one of Singh’s crowning achievementsslot paraiso, and also a moment in time where he defied all expectations of him. Reflecting on his tenure, Singh once said, “History will be kinder to me than the opposition of the day.”