Crs Report for Congress - U. S. Nuclear Cooperation with India: Issues for Congress: October 24, 2005 - Rl33016 (Paperback)

In 1974, India exploded a "peaceful" nuclear device and demonstrated that nuclear technology transferred for peaceful purposes could be used to produce nuclear weapons. As a result, the United States has refused nuclear cooperation with India for twenty-five years and has convinced other states to do the same. On July 18, 2005, President Bush announced a new global partnership with India to promote stability, democracy, prosperity and peace. The desire to transform relations with India, according to Administration officials, is "founded upon a strategic vision that transcends even today's most pressing security concerns." Nuclear cooperation is one element of that strategic vision. President Bush said he would "work to achieve full civil nuclear energy cooperation with India" and would "also seek agreement from Congress to adjust U.S. laws and policies." Administration officials have described the agreement as a "win" for nonproliferation because it would bring India into the nonproliferation mainstream. At a time when the United States has called for all states to strengthen their domestic export control laws and for tighter multilateral controls, U.S. nuclear cooperation with India would require loosening its own nuclear export legislation, as well as creating an Nuclear Suppliers Group exception. It would reverse nearly ...