India studying NSG guidelines

India is studying the new Nuclear Suppliers Group guidelines about tightening of export of enrichment and reprocessing technologies, government officials said. The 46-member nuclear suppliers’ cartel on Friday “agreed to strengthen its guidelines on transfer of sensitive enrichment and reprocessing technologies’’. Sources said they will need greater clarity on the precise nature of the “strengthening” of guidelines. However, officials said they were “reassured” by the US statement reiterating its commitment to “full civil nuclear cooperation’’. The US state department said on Friday, “Nothing about the new enrichment and reprocessing (ENR) transfer restrictions agreed to by NSG members should be construed as detracting from the unique impact and importance of the US-India agreement or our commitment to full civil nuclear cooperation.” Sources said India’s discomfiture with ENR guidelines stems less from the fact that India needs the technology right now. But the guidelines go against the entire spirit of the NSG waiver and the promise of full nuclear commerce.