The International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors approved the India-specific safeguards agreement on August 11. The discussions would now be centered at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). New Delhi has time and again stated that it would accept nothing less than a “clean and unconditional” exemption from the Group2. US Ambassador to India, David Mulford has however recently asked India not to speak of an ‘unconditional’ waiver before the NSG meeting as that could be provocative3. The NSG was expected to meet in Vienna on August 21 to discuss the issue of granting India exemption from some of its guidelines4.

• 1. Siddharth Varadarajan, “IAEA board approves India safeguards agreement,” The Hindu, August 02, 2008, at http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/02/stories/2008080257770100.htm
• 2. Siddharth Varadarajan, “Kakodkar: India is firm on unconditional waiver,” The Hindu, August 03, 2008, at http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/03/stories/2008080358180100.htm
• 3. “Don’t talk of unconditional waiver: Mulford,” The Times of India, August 06, 2008, at http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/PoliticsNation/Dont_talk_of_uncondit...
• 4. Chidanand Rajaghatta, “N-deal likely to face final US vote by Sept 8,” The Times of India, August 06, 2008, at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/N-deal_likely_to_face_final_US_...