"India's nuclear programme is intermingled. However, any future arrangement would be implemented keeping in view the national interest," Banerjee told reporters and students from various city colleges in Mumbai on the occasion of National Science Day at the `Open Day' of BARC yesterday.

His remarks assumes significance in the context of the separation of civilian and strategic nuclear facilities as per the July 18 Indo-US joint statement.

The India-US nuclear tango

"The national interest is foremost and we have total faith in our leadership," he said.

Banerjee said if the additional nuclear power plants are offered, it would boost the initial growth of the country's nuclear power programme and once the Fast Breeder Reactor programme takes off from 2010, it would stabilise and sustain the growth of nuclear power industry.

"We have ambitious plan to grow from current three per cent to 25 per cent of electricity through nuclear programme in the next 20 years and we have our strength," he said.

He also said by 2020, India will be a world leader in Fast Breeder Reactors.

"For the last 20 years, India has been mastering Fast Breeder Reactor technology -- one of most difficult technology which many groups in the world had abandoned. It involves controlled handling of liquid sodium and plutonium," he explained to the students.