G-8 Restrictions on Nuclear Technology

The G-8 decision that the will not transfer full Enrichment and Reprocessing (ENR) technologies to non-NPT countries would mean that India will not get full civilian nuclear cooperation as claimed by the UPA government. The CPI(M) had made clear that the Nuclear Suppliers Group's waiver was neither “clean” nor “unconditional” as was being claimed then. Behind the so-called “clean” waiver stands the Hyde Act and its provisions. Other G8 countries have also now fallen in line with the Hyde Act. The same conditions are being finalised in the NSG and India had already agreed at the time of the waiver that it will abide by all such future changes.

The country needs to know what the Government intends to do about this denial of ENR technologies by G8. Is it that it was fully aware that ENR ban was on the anvil and the so-called charade of “clean exemption” in the NSG was conducted to hoodwink the people? What does it now intend to do about buying reactors from countries who have declared that they will continue with the current discriminatory regime? This is particularly important as the US State Department officials are now asking that India identify sites for the 10,000 MW of reactors it has committed to buy from US sources. With this ban in place, any move in this direction will seriously jeopardise India's future energy security.

The Government of India should come clean on these issues pending which India should enter at best only fuel supply contracts and not agree to buying of imported reactors from countries who are a part of this restrictive technology regime.


Note:This statement was issued by the CPI(M) Central Commitee
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