This particular set of attitudes and policies is unlikely to be shared by a future US administration, even a Republican one. They may still see India as important, but might not be as willing to meddle with existing global norms on non-proliferation. Most importantly, if we fail now, that exhibition of unreliability will ensure that no future administration will even risk going out on a limb for India.

As with missing any opportunity, the question to ask about the nuclear deal is not what we would lose if the deal fell through, but what we would fail to gain. If the deal falls through, it will simply join our long list of missed strategic opportunities. It would demonstrate yet again our incapacity to learn from our own mistakes.

The writer is associate professor, international politics at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi

r_rajesh@mail.jnu.ac.in