India expects NSG members to abide by 2008 clean waiver

New Delhi: India on Wednesday stated unequivocally that it expected member nations of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to abide by the 2008 " clean waiver" granted to it and honour their commitment to engage in ''full'' civil nuclear cooperation with New Delhi.

"We are absolutely clear that as far as India is concerned, the basis of our international civil nuclear cooperation remains as contained in the special exemption from the NSG guidelines given to India on Sept 6, 2008," Indian external affairs minister, SM Krishna, said in a statement made in the Lok Sabha, India's lower House of parliament.

His statement was a reference to the possible denial of nuclear enrichment and reprocessing (ENR) technology to India by the NSG cartel, under its recently amended guidelines.

 "The September 2008 exemption accords a special status to India. It was granted knowing full well that India is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty," Krishna stressed.

"As the prime minister had informed this august house on 29 July 2009, we were successful in securing a 'clean' exemption from the NSG in September 2008, i.e. the NSG members had agreed to transfer all technologies which are consistent with their national law," he said.

"As far as we are concerned, the September 2008 decision is the basis and overarching framework that governs cooperation in civil nuclear matters between India and the NSG."