New Delhi: The 44-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meets in Vienna on Wednesday to consider a key question: Should the rules be amended to permit the transfer of nuclear technologies to India?
America says that although India has not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT), it should be treated differently from other non-NPT states like Israel and Pakistan.
Backing America are Russia, Britain and France, but Canada and South Africa are yet to be convinced.
China is against it and may set unacceptable conditions such as amending the rules for Pakistan also.
India will be relying heavily on America's persuasive powers to get the NSG rules amended.
Hectic diplomacy has preceded the meeting with India having made a presentation of its case to the NSG Outreach Group in Vienna.
The function of the outreach group is to advocate compliance to NSG?s stringent export control measures.
But New Delhi has utilised it to give an account of its nuclear safety record and the measures it has taken to ensure that its reactors are safe.
Washington is said to have concentrated on the broader picture by building India?s case on three key elements:
a) India?s credentials as the world?s biggest democracy.
b) That India is not a proliferator and has transparent safety mechanisms in place.
c) India?s huge energy requirement which can be best fulfilled by increasing production of nuclear energy.
The NSG has a tradition of taking consensus-based decisions and it is here that the hurdles lie for both New Delhi and Washington.
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