NSG hurdle over, India gets waiver

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Nuclear energy to meet rising needs, says PM

Vienna, Sep 6: exports of fuel-enrichment technology able to produce peaceful energy or bombs, diplomats said.

Some changes have been made to the revised draft of the waiver to assuage concerns of the sceptic countries but details of the exact changes were still not available.

The four countries were initially not fully satisfied with the statement and wanted this commitment to be incorporated in the US-steered draft waiver. They also wanted inclusion of the consequences that would follow a nuclear test.

But India had been opposed to inclusion of any conditionalities which it felt would undermine its sovereign right to undertake a nuclear test.

US acting under secretary of state for arms control John Rood, who steered Washington’s campaign in the NSG, described the decision as “landmark”. He said it was an “important moment” for strengthening non-proliferation regime. Asked what was the main factor that led to the breakthrough, Launsky said Friday’s statement of Mukherjee assuaged the concerns of Austria and like-minded members making a contribution in achieving the objective.

The relief is also there for Austria, particularly in the Indian government’s plan for separation of 14 power plants that will come under the inspection of the UN atomic watchdog IAEA. Before the nuclear group approved the deal, US officials had contended that selling peaceful nuclear technology to India would bring the country’s atomic program under closer scrutiny and boost—not undermine—international non-proliferation efforts.

1968: India refuses to sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) on the grounds that it is discriminatory

May 18, 1974: India conducts its first nuclear test

March 10, 1978: US President Jimmy Carter signs the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act, following which the US ceases exporting nuclear assistance to India.

May 11-13, 1998: India tests five underground nuclear tests

July 18, 2005: US President George W Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh first announce their intention to enter into a nuclear agreement in Washington.

March 1, 2006: Bush visits India for the first time

March 3, 2006: Bush and Singh issue a joint statement on their growing strategic partnership, emphasising their agreement on civil nuclear cooperation

July 26, 2006: The US House of Representatives passes the ‘Henry J Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006,’ which stipulates that Washington will cooperate with New Delhi on nuclear issues and exempt it from signing the non-proliferation Treaty

July 28, 2006: The Left parties demand threadbare discussion on the issue in Parliament.