Hafizzz
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India to seek US help for entry into NSG
India to seek US help for entry into NSG
Pushing for the maximum during US President Barack Obamas visit next month, India is looking to corner a firm commitment from the US to help facilitate Indias entry into the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). This will require Washington to move a proposal within the grouping for relaxing the entry criteria for India, which is not an NPT signatory.
It is expected that the US will agree to work with the NSG to evolve a criterion for India to join the grouping. India, on the other hand, is likely to convey its willingness to join the Convention on Supplementary Compensation following the passage of the Nuclear Liabilities Bill.
Further, India has also asked the US to provide unambiguous support to its aspiration for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. For long, the US has not been enthused with the G-4 club approach and has preferred to discuss each country separately. India will be looking at the US to take a clear call on its candidature during Obamas visit.
While Washington is yet to respond positively on these two issues, there is considerable progress on the third key issue of removing Indian entities from the export controls lists maintained by the US Bureau of Industry and Security. Sources said the US has already agreed to remove ISRO and DRDO entities, but has still not taken a call on entities belonging to the Department of Atomic Energy.
Its learnt that India is not fully satisfied yet and wants the US to completely do away with these restrictive lists which, it believes, are not in consonance with the objectives of the bilateral strategic partnership. The US, on the other hand, has suggested that it is willing to move Indian entities to A2 and A3 categories which is only a step lower than the preference given to NATO allies who form the A1 category.
There is still considerable back and forth happening on these key issues ahead of the visit and US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns is slated to be here on Thursday to help firm up the outcomes. Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Robert Blake will hold talks with Indian officials on Wednesday.
India and the US, sources said, have also finalised the long pending Commercial Space Launch Agreement that will allow ISRO to launch satellites with US-origin components. This breakthrough was achieved in talks a couple of weeks ago.
The US, sources said, is keen that India moves on pending defence agreements like the CISMOA, LSA and BECA which would then help it adopt more favourable approach on liberalising the entities regime for India.
On facilitating entry into the NSG, India thinks it to be a logical follow-up to the n-deal. Given that NSG members would expand nuclear commerce with India, sources said, it is only fitting that India be made a part of the closed-door exclusive club which frames rules for such trade. The problem is India does not qualify on a key pre-requisite that all members need to be NPT signatories. Here is where US support will be crucial.
The motive is clear and Pakistan and China knows what is going to happen to the Pakistan-China civilian nuclear deal.