India keeps nuclear hopes as IAEA meets tomorrow

31 July 2008

Mumbai: India expects the IAEA board of governors to approve the India-specific nuclear safeguards when its 35-member board meets in Vienna tomorrow.

An approval by the IAEA board is necessary for its approval be the larger 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group, which will in turn will lead to the operationalisation of the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement.

The operationalosation of the Indo-US deal will help India resume nuclear trade with the global community after a gap of 34 years.

The IAEA process will also give India an opportunity to gauge the mood of the Nuclear Suppliers Group countries, as 19 of the 45 countries are both IAEA governors and NSG members.

The specific queries raised by the NSG in IAEA will also act as a pointer to the draft of the NSG exemption that is being prepared by the US.

The US has issued a preliminary draft to India, but it will be finalised only after the 1 August meeting.