vsudhir, MR,
Yes, Shyam Saran will be involved in the IAEA/NSG negotiation, but his immediate priority I think is to do some diplomacy with Russia on the matter.
My point, essentially, is this: on the nuclear issue, historically in India, there has been a certain consensus at the fundamental level. While there may be differences on tactics, and egos coming in the way as well as frictions between individuals and agencies on any number of counts, the consensus at the fundamental level has been maintained - since Nehru's time. It is necessary to recall that the option was kept open by him, despite all the dewy-eyed moralising and exhortation of general principles.
This consensus has not been undermined - no matter what one may read here and there. Of course, our media is now hyper active, and there is a whole bunch of opinion, "fact", and informed/misinformed/etc commentary out there... There are also agendas to be implemented, monies to be paid, articles to be written, etc. Everybody plays this game, and we know it.
Ditto with the politicos. They will make the noises they need to make. (Only ones I leave out of this equation are the bloody commies, whose loyalties are questionable so long as they uphold the lunatic ideas of a misguided Russian and an unhygienic Chinaman over those of our own). But, at the end of the day, they will do what is needed.
Of course, this is not to suggest that there is some grand conspiracy sort of thing going on - some wizened old babus etc sitting somewhere guiding the country to the light. Hardly. It is vested interest pure and simple. It is in their interest, and therefore the country's interest, to expand the boundaries of our power. Anything which will help achieve this will be helped along.
It helps that over the years we have developed a fairly resilient system, both political and bureaucratic that can take hits and quickly uncrumple back into shape. Of course, I'm not suggesting, on the other hand, that the whole thing is just "happening" and that there is no direction being given whatsoever. It could be the case, but it is probably not a good idea to surrender to an inherent tendency among us Indians to look up overly to the intellectual elite... will not help the democratic mindset which IMHO needs at least another century to be truly entrenched