The Communist parties, which are in the forefront of attacking the Indo-US nuclear deal, will be hard pressed to explain their reluctance to confront the problems arising from Sino-Pak strategic cooperation and their unwillingness to face up to China’s nuclear ambiguity on India.

China, which has carefully monitored the progress on the Indo-US nuclear deal over the last year and a half, will have a big say, twice over, when the deal finally gets debated by the world community in the coming months.

China is a member of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, which must approve the attempt by the US, France and Russia to change the international rules on civilian nuclear cooperation with India.

China will also have a say when the India-specific safeguards agreement that New Delhi is currently negotiating with the International Atomic Energy Agency as part of the promise to separate its civilian and military nuclear facilities come up for approval by the Board of Governors. Chinese officials say Beijing is not opposed the Indo-U.S. nuclear pact but have questions of principle that need to be addressed. They insist that Indo-U.S. deal must comply with the international non-proliferation norms. But the essence of the Indo-US nuclear deal is about changing the international non-proliferation norms to accommodate India.

China has also suggested that any modification of the international regime cannot be just in favour of India. It effect it is suggesting that if the US wants to do a favour for India, Beijing would like to oblige Pakistan.

... contd.