The founders of the NSG therefore feel that India is an eminently suitable case to be brought within the nonproliferation regime by being extended a waiver. This brings in India’s additional reactors under the IAEA safeguards, makes India a stake holder in the non-proliferation regime and provides India one more source of clean energy. India’s fast growth will lead to vast expansion of energy generation and providing India nuclear energy option will contribute to reduce carbon emission by India. These are all in global interests.

The NSG is not a statutory body like the IAEA. While its decisions are recorded in IAEA they are implemented by each member according to its own national laws. The NSG consensus is largely influenced by the major powers who are the primary sources of nuclear technology. Therefore there are limits to the extent nonproliferation devotees can press their points of view against the wishes and interests of major powers. The role of the NSG is becoming increasingly consultative.

What is at stake in the NSG meeting is the prestige of the major nuclear powers who are in favour of incorporating India in the mainstream non-proliferation regime. Waiver for India will not create any inconvenient precedent because there is only one other nuclear weapon country with a civil nuclear programme — Pakistan. But its proliferation history cannot be compared to India’s nonproliferation record nor can it be classified as a country with advanced nuclear technology. Therefore the Indian case will have to be considered a unique one and there are no proliferation consequences involved in this waiver.

... contd.