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INDIA NUCLEAR DEAL: Talking Points

• This agreement does not include the common-sense restrictions and conditions mandated by Congress in 2006, including the termination of nuclear trade with India if that country again tests nuclear weapons.
• The arrangement would give India rights and privileges of civil nuclear trade that are more favorable than even for countries that are in good standing under the NPT.
• There are much better ways to build strong relations with India that do not involve damaging global security and rewarding poor nuclear behavior.
• It creates a dangerous distinction between "good" proliferators and "bad" proliferators and sends out misleading signals to the international community with regard to NPT norms.
• Foreign supplies of nuclear fuel to India’s civil nuclear sector will reduce or eliminate India’s need to sacrifice electricity production to produce weapons-grade plutonium.
• This is a critical time for the US to take leadership in the international community for reducing nuclear arsenals — including our own. Nuclear weapons are a threat to our national security, and to global security.
• The lack of insurance and safety protections in India prevent U.S. companies from participating in this emerging nuclear energy market and give companies from Russia and France an unfair advantage.
• India has joined in NAM statements supporting Iran’s nuclear program and is a major supplier of refined petroleum products for Tehran
• There is no guarantee that India will place under safeguards the list of civil facilities it identified in its March 6, 2006 statement to the Indian parliament. In fact, India's safeguards agreement (Section II A. para 13) says:

  "Upon entry into force of this Agreement, and a determination by India that all conditions conducive to accomplishment of the objective of this Agreement are in place, India shall file with the Agency a Declaration, based on its sovereign decision to place voluntarily its civilian nuclear facilities under Agency safeguards in a phased manner."

Read Our Letter to Congress ~ Background