UN watchdog clears path for Indo-US nuke deal

New Delhi: The governors of the UN nuclear watchdog approved an inspections plan for India on Friday, an important step towards completing a nuclear cooperation deal between New Delhi and the United States.


The India-specific safeguards agreement, approved by consensus by the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, will permit regular IAEA surveillance of India's declared civilian nuclear energy plants—14 of 22 existing or planned reactors.


This clears a hurdle to the Indo-US nuclear deal that would allow sales of atomic materials and technology for civilian use to India. The deal has been criticised because New Delhi has not signed the global Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).


Washington will now need the approval of a 45-nation nuclear supply group to grant India an unprecedented waiver allowing trade with a non-NPT state and ratification by the US Congress for the deal to go into force.


The first Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meeting on India is expected to be held on Aug. Twenty-six of the 35 nations on the IAEA governing body are also NSG members.


The approval came after Mohamed ElBaradei, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said the India-specific safeguards agreement “satisfies India's needs while maintaining all of the agency's legal requirements.''


Tabling the safeguards text at the start of the meeting, ElBaradei said: "These are not comprehensive or full-scope safeguards(unlike with NPT member states)...but it (agreement) satisfies India's needs while maintaining all the agency's legal requirements."


ElBaradei's remarks gave a boost to the prospects for the Indo-US nuclear deal and the 27-member European Union too threw its weight behind the safeguards pact that set the stage for its approval.


US, Manmohan applaud IAEA


The US described the approval of India-specific safeguards agreement as a key step in the implementation of the Indo-US nuclear deal and vowed to "vigorously" obtain an India-specific exception in the NSG and clearance from the US Congress.