NEW DELHI – The US is working “very closely” with international partnersto secure India’s Nuclear Suppliers Group membership, its envoy KennethJuster said today and hoped that New Delhi would join the Australia Groupon chemical and biological weapons in the “very near future”, PTI hasreported.
India has been seeking entry into the 48-member elite nuclear club, whichcontrols nuclear trade, but China has repeatedly stonewalled its bid.
Juster acknowledged that the US and India faced challenging and complicatedissues related to the transfer of sensitive US technology with bothmilitary and conventional applications.
“India sought increased access to this technology, while the US wanted toensure that any transfers would be used solely by the designated recipientsfor the agreed-upon purposes.
“This required a sophisticated system of export controls, which India,candidly, did not have at the time,” Juster said in his first policy speechsince taking over as the US ambassador to India.
The initial interactions on the subject were “quite formal and somewhatstrained due to the wide gulf” in the positions of the two nations, Justeracknowledged.
He said the US had moved from a restrictive policy on the export ofdual-use items to India to a much more “liberal one”.
“Look how far we have come,” he said, citing India’s membership in two ofthe four multilateral export control regimes — the Wassenaar Arrangementon dual-use items, and the Missile Technology Control Regime.
“We also expect India to join the Australia Group on chemical andbiological weapons in the very near future. And, we are working closelywith India and our international partners to secure India’s membership inthe Nuclear Suppliers Group,” he said.
Under the Indo-US nuclear deal, Washington had assured support to India’scandidature in the NSG and the MTCR.
India entered the MTCR and the Wassenaar Agreement in 2016 and 2017respectively.
Juster said the environment and energy were a pillar ripe for enhancedstrategic cooperation.
The US-India Strategic Energy Partnership will convene early this year atthe ministerial level, he added.
“The US is uniquely positioned to offer India a comprehensive energypartnership. This includes all forms of energy — coal, crude oil, naturalgas, nuclear power and technology related to clean fossil fuel, smartgrids, energy storage and renewable resources,” he said.
US nuclear gaint Westinghouse Co is also building six nuclear powerreactors in Andhra Pradesh.