On July 18, 2005, President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
announced a
far-reaching proposal for civilian nuclear cooperation. India agreed to
separate its civilian and military nuclear facilities and place many—but not
all—reactors under safeguards, while Bush pledged to seek unprecedented exemptions
in U.S. law and international export rules to allow for international nuclear
trade to India.
Congress approved implementing legislation with certain conditions in December 2006. Before the arrangement is implemented, the United States and India must still conclude, and Congress must approve, a formal agreement for nuclear cooperation. Also, India and the International Atomic Energy Agency must conclude a new nuclear safeguards agreement and the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group must approve changes to its guidelines. Given the potential adverse
impact of the proposal on the international nonproliferation regime, U.S. officials and responsible governments should hold the line and remedy the serious flaws in the deal.
This collection of key documents and analysis contains up-to-date and comprehensive
information concerning the proposal.
