U.S.-Indian Nuclear Talks Make Limited Progress

Disagreements over the details of a planned U.S.-Indian nuclear trade deal prevented the two nations from completing a key component of the agreement at meetings this week in New Delhi, Reuters reported (see GSN, March 27).

With the guiding principles of the deal set in 2005, and a U.S. law exempting India from U.S. nuclear nonproliferation rules enacted in December, negotiators met Monday and Tuesday to hammer out technical details in what is being called the 123 agreement, after a relevant section of U.S. code.

If finalized, the deal would enable India to purchase U.S. nuclear technology if it opens its civilian nuclear sector to international monitoring.  India’s refusal to join the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty had historically prevented U.S. nuclear aid, but the U.S. Congress waived that restriction.

“We were hopeful that we would be able to make progress to close out all of the issues on the 123 talks,” said U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns.  “Some progress was made but in our view, not enough.”

“The United States has done its part.  We’ve met every commitment we said we would meet,” he added.  “Right now, I would say the ball is in India’s court.”

New Delhi is seeking assurances that it would be able to purchase nuclear fuel even if it resumes nuclear weapons testing, and it has balked at potential restrictions on its ability to separate plutonium from U.S.-provided nuclear fuel, Reuters reported.

Burns called on India to make concessions.

“Frankly, we negotiated two very good agreements in July [2005] and March [2006] with the Indian government,” he said.  “Now it's time for India to expedite the 123 talks” (Carol Giacomo, Reuters, March 30).

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