Fri Dec 27 08:07:20 UTC 2024: ## Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Dies at 92: Nuclear Deal Highlighted as Greatest Achievement, Healthcare Reform as Biggest Regret
NEW DELHI – Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away Thursday at the age of 92, reflected on his decade-long tenure in his final press conference in 2014, highlighting the US-India civil nuclear deal as his greatest achievement and inadequate healthcare reform as his biggest regret.
Dr. Singh, a key architect of India’s 1991 economic reforms, served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014. He lauded the 2008 nuclear deal, describing it as ending “nuclear apartheid” and fostering India’s social, economic, and technological progress. The agreement, reached under his leadership and that of then-US President George W. Bush, involved a series of negotiations culminating in a waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group, allowing India access to civilian nuclear technology and fuel.
However, Dr. Singh expressed deep regret over his inability to achieve more in the area of healthcare, particularly for women and children. While acknowledging the progress made under the National Rural Health Mission launched during his premiership, he felt significantly more needed to be done.
In response to criticism regarding corruption allegations during his time in office, Dr. Singh expressed confidence that history would offer a more balanced assessment, acknowledging irregularities but asserting that their scale had been exaggerated by the media and opposition parties. He maintained that he had acted with honesty and integrity throughout his tenure and never considered resigning. He particularly pointed to his own advocacy for transparent spectrum and coal block allocation processes, initiatives ultimately overshadowed by accusations of corruption.
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