INDIA: India and the US yesterday secured what both termed a "historic" nuclear deal to cement a new strategic relationship between the world's largest and most powerful of democracies.
Ending eight months of intense negotiation, the agreement announced in New Delhi by US president George Bush and Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh aims to lift the 32-year-old embargo on sharing civilian nuclear technology and related commerce. It was imposed on India after its first atomic test in 1974.
The deal ensures India an uninterrupted supply of badly needed uranium from the US and eventually from the international market to help power its fast-growing economy, but does not require it to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which New Delhi has repeatedly dismissed as "discriminatory".
In 1998 India conducted five underground nuclear tests and thereafter embarked on a programme to develop its strategic deterrence against neighbouring nuclear rivals China and Pakistan. This resulted in US sanctions that were lifted in late 2001.
"This historic accomplishment will permit our countries to move forward towards our common objective of full civil nuclear energy co-operation between India and the US and between India and the international community," the two leaders said in a joint statement following talks during the American president's three-day India visit, which ends today.
The controversial agreement, by which India will separate its civilian and military nuclear installations, now commits Washington to seek approval from the US Congress and the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group to share their civilian nuclear technology with New Delhi to meet its galloping energy needs.
While the exact terms of the agreement were still being finalised, officials from both countries indicated that 14 of India's 22 nuclear reactors would be placed under supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
However, India's fast breeder reactor, which is crucial to the country's nuclear weapons programme and which the US desperately wanted New Delhi to place under supervision, would remain outside the IAEA's purview, official sources said. Giving in to Indian demands on this had greatly helped the US clinch the nuclear agreement, sources added.
Some US lawmakers, including many Republicans and nuclear experts in Washington, have criticised the deal, claiming it weakens international safeguards, especially the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, besides recognising India as a de facto nuclear weapon state "via the back door".
Both sides also agreed to launch joint initiatives to step up investments and trade, bolster defence ties, improve energy security and co-operation in space travel, agriculture and health.
Meanwhile, Pakistan, which President Bush visits today, said it expected Washington to give it the same civilian atomic co-operation it had extended to India.
China, whose containment was believed to be part of the US objective of sealing the unprecedented pact with India, and fear of whom prompted India's 1998 atomic tests, said the nuclear co-operation deal should be in line with the nuclear treaty rules.
"Co-operation must conform with the requirements and provisions of the international nonproliferation regime and the obligations undertaken by all countries," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.