As India’s nuclear debate enters the Rajya Sabha tomorrow, Beijing and Islamabad are moving towards deeper bilateral atomic energy cooperation.

Recent reports from Islamabad say a deal on buying six 300 MW nuclear reactors from China might be finalised when President Hu Jintao visits Pakistan at the end of this year.

As the Opposition quibbles over real and imagined problems of the non-proliferation conditions that New Delhi accepted in the deal with the United States, China is preparing to rapidly expand its own nuclear power programme.

Beijing accepted far more stringent conditions in its attempt to secure access to Australian uranium resources. If China is interested in long-term political outcomes in its nuclear diplomacy, India appears hobbled by a debate that is more focused on words rather on practical moves.

For, in theory, as a declared nuclear weapon state, China was under no obligation to accept the unprecedented international safeguards that Australia sought in return for supplying natural uranium ore.

At a time when major nuclear power producers are scrambling to gain control over uranium resources around the world, China had no hesitation in accepting the tough Australian conditions.

Meanwhile China and Pakistan have found a way of leveraging the Indo-U.S. deal to expand their own long-standing military and civilian nuclear cooperation.

China has not openly opposed the Indo-U.S. nuclear pact but expressed strong reservations on the principles that went into making the deal when it came up for discussion in the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group.

While it might not be able to stop the Indo-US nuclear deal from being implemented, China seems determined to ensure that Pakistan will not be left behind India in the civilian nuclear field.

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