New Delhi: Looks like India's dream of joining the nuclear family will have to wait. On Friday, the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group met in Vienna and debated on allowing India the right to do nuclear business with the world. But the collective might of five powerful nations led by the United States was not enough to swing it.
The NSG meeting ended inconclusively after internal differences failed to generate a consensus for an exception for India.
Most member nations were supportive of India's case but some countries like Austria, New Zealand, Ireland and Norway – strong proponents of the non proliferation regime – have insisted on pinning India to commit itself in letter and spirit to the non proliferation regime, which includes a commitment to not test nuclear weapons again.
It is now extremely likely that the US will return with a new draft that will be discussed on September 4 or 5.
The first round of discussions ended on Thursday with no country opposing an exemption from India from NSG rules but at least three members demanded a tightening of language on the US draft.
American and Indian officials sat together late into Thursday night to see whether there was scope to reach common ground on the objections raised.
Before the NSG met for round two of its deliberations today, senior American diplomat Richard Boucher warned India might have to accept some changes in the language of the draft.
Boucher did not rule out changes in the waiver draft that was discussed at the NSG.
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Boucher said India would have to live with some changes to the proposed waiver. It is not clear yet what those changes might be but India has left itself no wiggle room politically after publicly insisting on a clean and unconditional waiver.
Specifically, Indian diplomats say there is no question of accepting conditions, be they binding or prescriptive, on issues related to testing, nature of safeguards, periodic monitoring of India's nuclear status, and ban on sale of enrichment and reprocessing technologies.
What does this mean for India?
Date for the next NSG meeting will be decided by Germany. Sources say it will be either September 4 or September 5.
India and the US get two weeks to convince the doubters. More likely, a face saver will be found
NPT hardliners will introduce harsh language in the new draft but changes could steer clear of India's red lines. So India grudgingly accepts them
Naysayers will then sell the okay to domestic constituencies Hopefully, a final nod comes through and the US scrambles for a Congressional okay within days
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