India a role model for peaceful nuclear use: IAEA chief

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohammad ElBaradei today said that India was a role model for developing countries in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, at a time when Asia would see exponential growth in the nuclear power sector.

The director general of the international nuclear watchdog cautioned all countries to adhere to safety mechanisms and ensure non-proliferation of nuclear materials. ''Every country has the right to peaceful use of nuclear energy, but it has to ensure not only safety and security but also see to it that nuclear material is not diverted to other purposes,'' ElBaradei said.

Addressing a three-day international conference on 'Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy' in New Delhi, he said India had successfully harnessed nuclear technology in fields of radiation, nuclear medicine and agriculture, and was a role model for developing countries.

Noting that India had called for elimination of nuclear weapons in 1988, he said "I trust India's voice will continue to be heard."

Inaugurating the conference, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, ''It is not beyond the imagination of the human mind to devise solutions and strategies that exploit the vast potential of atomic energy to advance human progress, while assuring global peace and security. The task would require the collective will, wisdom and determination of the international community, but it is a task that can no longer be put off.''

The outgoing International Atomic Energy Agency chief also welcomed recent moves by the United States and Russia to resume talks on reducing their nuclear arsenals, saying it would contribute to efforts to rid the world of such weapons. He said he was glad that "after a couple of ... wasted decades, nuclear disarmament has moved back to the top of the international agenda."