Despite intense lobbying, the proposal to give India an exemption from global nuclear trade standards is in deep trouble and there is still a long distance to go, a prominent arms-control think-tank opposed to the Indo-US nuclear deal has said.

"US still working on revised draft and India still demanding "clean and unconditional" waiver. While there is still a distance to go, the proposal to give India a clean exemption from global nuclear trade standards is in deep trouble" Daryl Kimball, the Executive Director of the Arms Control Association, has said.

"... As ACA had predicted, but to the apparent surprise of the Indian and US governments, more than 20 states essentially said 'no thanks' and proposed more than 50 amendments and modifications that would establish some basic, but vitally important restrictions and conditions on nuclear trade with India," he said in an e-mail Statement.

"Many of these amendments track with the restrictions and conditions established in 2006 US legislation regulating US nuclear trade with India, which include the termination of nuclear trade if India resumes testing, a ban on the transfer of uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing technology, a requirement for permanent and unconditional facility- specific safeguards and a review mechanism," he said.

Kimball has said that while acknowledging India's legitimate interest in diversifying its energy options, responsible like-minded countries like -- Austria, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and others -- correctly recognise that the Bush approach is deeply flawed and would effectively end the NSG as a meaningful entity.

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