Under the deal, the US will "work to achieve full civil nuclear energy cooperation with India as it realizes its goals of promoting nuclear power and achieving energy security". The US President would seek agreement from the Congress to adjust domestic laws and policies, and it will work with allies to adjust international regimes to engage in full civilian nuclear cooperation and trade with India, including but not limited to expeditious consideration of fuel supplies for safeguarded nuclear reactors at Tarapur.
On its part, India reciprocally agreed to identify and separate civilian and military nuclear facilities and programs in a phased manner and file a declaration regarding its civilian facilities with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); take a decision to place voluntarily its civilian nuclear facilities under the IAEA safeguards; sign and adhere to an additional protocol with respect to civilian nuclear facilities; continue its unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing; work with the United States for the conclusion of a multi-lateral Fissile Material Cut Off Treaty; refrain from transfer of enrichment and reprocessing technologies to states that do not have them and support international efforts to limit their spread; and ensure that the necessary steps have been taken to secure nuclear materials and technology through comprehensive export control legislation and through harmonization and adherence to Missile Technology Control Regime and Nuclear Supplies Group guidelines.
Some have hailed the deal as India's `nuclear triumph' since it confers on it a nuclear weapon power status, besides enabling it to procure advanced nuclear technology, machinery and most importantly uranium supplies. The civilian collaboration is expected to offer energy security to India. On the down side, the deal is accused of compromising with India's strategic nuclear autonomy, as though it was once independent of external assistance. Even the American elite has voiced its concern against the deal. Strobe Tallbott - President, Brookings Institution and former US special envoy to South Asia cautioned that the decision to recognize India as a legitimate nuclear power does not bode well for world security. He also said that the Indo-US agreement effectively granted India nuclear legitimacy-with little in return-that will completely undermine the global non-proliferation regime, while some others hailed it as a reflection of what the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice argued in one of her articles during the 2000 election campaign that the US should regard India as a strategic counterweight to China. |
