Britain lobbies for nuclear export group to admit India

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Britain has stepped up efforts to let India join an influential global body controlling nuclear exports, a move that would boost New Delhi's standing as an atomic power but which has faced resistance from China and other countries.

The diplomatic tussle centres on whether emerging power India should be allowed into a key forum deciding rules for civilian nuclear trade, even though it has refused to join an international pact under which it would have to give up its nuclear weapons.

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If India joined the NSG, it would be the only member of the suppliers group that has not signed up to the 1970 nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT).

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The United States sealed a landmark civilian nuclear supply deal with India in 2008 that China and others found questionable because Delhi is outside the NPT.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/06/14/uk-nuclear-india-britain-idUKBRE95D0YR20130614

[Hasan Ehtisham]

1. India’s NSG Membership?

This British move to let India into NSG is a clear violation of the non-proliferation norms and reflects the double standards of the nuclear-haves. It would allow New Delhi to trade any nuclear equipment and material, including enrichment and reprocessing technology, which will indirectly let Delhi speed up nuclear weapons production and increase its arsenal size.
Interestingly, India does not allow international supervision over all its nuclear activities and is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Joining NPT is a pre-requisite for the NSG membership.
This waiver will dent the global nuclear non-proliferation efforts and weaken the international safeguards system because it may lead to diversion of India’s indigenously-produced fissile materials to military programmes.
There are growing problems in terms of actualizing the commercial aspects of setting up nuclear power plants by US companies in India. Yet the shameless prospect of making money has compelled some NSG members to forego all civility and laws.
The membership of NSG, like US-India nuclear deal, will generate a new arms race in Asia. India will become inebriated with its new power, contend destructively with western economies, bully its neighbours and possibly even launch a nuclear first strike against Pakistan.
Membership of NSG could also entice India to sell reactors and enrichment/reprocessing technology to anyone today because it is outside the NPT and has no obligations. India could also play hardball and freeze consensus on FMCT. It is currently taking a comfortable cover behind Pakistan.
India’s missile program is advanced and it can sell missiles and related tech to anyone since it is outside MTCR.
Though the spotlight is on Pakistan's nuclear programme, India will further enlarge strategic reserves of weapons stockpiles, and thus start challenging the major nuclear powers. Then, it would be too late to give precedence to economic imperatives over nonproliferation pipedreams and global stability.

[usmanalikhan6]

2. NSG Waiver

In terms of scope this waiver of accepting India as an NSG member will most favourably disturbed the relations of the three U.S-India and Pakistan. As the case unfolds, there are many things to worry about, India has fought three wars with Pakistan- India hasalso refused to sign the 189-nation NPT, which would oblige her to scrap nuclear weapons. Once again this waiver will pose a bleak hole in the credibility of NSG.
This favour of Britain is another kind of American Personality. Pakistan which has been improving its relations with Asian economic giant China as its relations with Washington has suffered a lot since 9/11. Both China and Pakistan has warned against allowing its rival into the NSG as it would further solidify their perception of legitimate hegemonic power. As the case unfolds, there are things to worry about; Why Pakistan is not given such kind of Civilian deal which truly needs it for ending its energy crisis? What are the steps taken by NSG that assures India would not use this favour for military purpose? Is it to counter China’s role in the Asian region? Is it really about energy? Will it not further tilt the power balance and further destabilize the relations among the regional countries? Will this favour not going to disturbed the credible minimum deterrence that Pakistan has regarding India? So there is a need to have an equal treatment in South Asia, an apparent reference to Pakistan.