On April 20, 2008, The Times of India reported that Blackwill said that the next US President may not push the nuclear deal with India because he will not have the same sunk costs in the agreement as President Bush. "If I may be characteristically blunt, the next American president will not have the same sunk costs in the US-India civil nuclear agreement that this president (George W Bush) and the top of the administration has," Blackwill said. "India will pay a substantial price in its future energy policy, and its lack of civil nuclear assistance from the outside world."Times of India. "Next US president may not push n-deal: Blackwill" April 20, 2008. Blackwill added that the next US President would not go back to lecturing India about its nuclear program. "They (Indians) did not have much tolerance before, and they have none now. That would be a substantial irritant in the relationship if it were to occur," said Blackwill.
