The Hindu Business Line : Prime Minister's assurances

Full civil nuclear cooperation: India will be satisfied with nothing less than the removal of restrictions on all aspects of cooperation and technology transfers pertaining to civil nuclear energy, ranging from nuclear fuel, nuclear reactors, to re-processing spent fuel, that is, all aspects of a complete nuclear fuel cycle. India must be accepted as a full and equal partner of the international nuclear community, with a right to preserve the integrity of its three-stage nuclear programme and protect the autonomy of its scientific research and development.

Principle of reciprocity: Reciprocity is the key to the implementation of the July 2005 statement. India will accept only India-specific IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) safeguards on the nuclear facilities, and that too only in a phased manner, and as identified for that purpose in the Separation Plan. This will be conditional on the lifting of all nuclear restrictions on India and guarantee of uninterrupted supply of fuel to reactors that would be placed under IAEA safeguards together with India's right to take corrective measures in the event fuel supplies are interrupted and to build up reserves of nuclear fuel.

Certification: India will not agree to any stipulation requiring the US President to make an annual report to the Congress that includes certification that India is in full compliance of its non-proliferation and other commitments.

India as a state possessing advanced nuclear technology: India should be regarded as a state with advanced nuclear technology enjoying the same advantages and benefits as other states with advanced nuclear technology, such as the US. Its strategic programme is totally outside the purview of the July Statement, and it will not accept any legislative provisions under the US law entailing scrutiny of either its nuclear weapons programme or its unsafeguarded nuclear facilities.

Safeguards agreement: There is no question of India signing either a Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA or an Additional Protocol of a type concluded by Non-Nuclear Weapons States which have signed the NPT, nor of its accepting any verification measures regarding safeguarded nuclear facilities beyond those contained in an India-Specific Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA.

Integrity and reliability of India's strategic programme — autonomy of decision-making and future scientific research and development: The Separation Plan would not adversely affect India's strategic programme; it has been so designed as to ensure adequacy of fissile material and other inputs for its strategic programme, based on its current and assessed future needs. The nuclear deal will not be allowed to compromise in any manner the integrity of India's three-stage nuclear programme, and the autonomy of its Research and Development activity, including development of its fast breeder reactors and the thorium programme. India will not accept interference by other countries vis-à-vis the development of its strategic programme.

Moratorium on production of fissile material: India will not accept a moratorium on the production of fissile material. India is willing to join only a non-discriminatory, multilaterally negotiated and internationally verifiable Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty, as and when it is concluded in the Conference on Disarmament, provided its security interests are fully addressed.

Non-discriminatory global nuclear disarmament: While there is no dilution of India's commitment towards non-discriminatory global nuclear disarmament, it does not accept proposals put forward from time to time for regional non-proliferation or regional disarmament. Pending global nuclear disarmament, there is no question of India joining the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon state, or accepting full-scope safeguards as a requirement for nuclear supplies.

Cessation of future cooperation: India is unambiguously against the provision in the proposed US law that were India to detonate a nuclear explosive device, the US will have the right to cease further cooperation. India is not prepared to go beyond a unilateral voluntary moratorium on nuclear testing as indicated in the July Statement. The same is true of other intrusive non-proliferation benchmarks that are mentioned in the proposed US legislation. India's possession and development of nuclear weapons is an integral part of its national security and there will be no deviation from this stand. If in their final form the US legislation or the adapted NSG Guidelines impose extraneous conditions on India, "the Government will draw the necessary conclusions, consistent with the commitments...made to Parliament."

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