Energy Program
The US Congress on October 1, 2008 final approval to an agreement facilitating nuclear cooperation the United States and India. The deal is seen as a watershed in U.S. - India relation and introduces a new aspect to international nonproliferation efforts. First introduce in the joint statement released by Precedent Bush and Indian Prime Minister Minoan Singh on July 18, 2005, the deal lifts a three-decade U.S. moratorium on nuclear trade with India. It provides U.S. assistance to India’s civilian nuclear energy program, and expands U.S.-India cooperation in energy and satellite technology. But critics in the United States say the deal fundamentally reverses half a century of U.S. nonproliferation effort, Undermines attempts to prevent states like Iran and North Korea from acquiring nuclear weapons, and potentially contributes to a nuclear arms race in Asia. “It’s an unprecedented deal for India, “says Charles D. Ferguson, science and technology fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. “ If you look at the three countries outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) - Israel, India, and Pakistan-this stands to be a unique deal.”
IAEA inspections-of its civilian facilities
1] India agrees to continue its moratorium on nuclear weapons testing.
2] India commits to strengthening the security of its nuclear arsenals.
3] India works toward negotiating a Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) with the United Sates banning the production of fissile material for weapons purposes. India agrees to prevent the spread of enrichment and reprocessing technologies to states that don’t possess them and to support international nonproliferation efforts.
Requested By: - Sanket S. Latpate.
STD: 10th
