It was clarified to Shri Amar Singh that the Civil Nuclear CooperationAgreement did not and would not affect the autonomy of decision-making in regardto foreign affairs in any manner. India had always followed an independentforeign policy. Under no circumstances, would this position undergo a change,the least of all in the context of the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.India has always regarded its strategic autonomy in these matters as sacrosanct.Related to this was the question raised by Shri Amar Singh whether the nucleardeal would impinge on our relations with Iran. It was clarified that ourrelations with Iran were time-honoured and civilisational in nature and nooutside influence or pressure could force India to deviate from this path. Indiaand Iran have recently taken several initiatives, including one relating to theIran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. The pipeline epitomizes the nature andimportance of the relationship, something that was strongly re-inforced duringthe visit of President Ahmadinejad to Delhi in April. There have been othermeetings between our Ministers and officials and their Iranian counterparts. TheNational Security Adviser has just returned after a very productive meeting withIranian leadership, and also had a meeting with President Ahmedinejad, at whichapart from economic issues like the IPI pipeline, certain other and relatedmatters were discussed. India is not under any pressure, nor can it bepressurized to follow a course of action that is not dictated by our enlightenedself-interest.