IAEA approves India nuclear inspection deal

India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, reacting from Colombo, also hailed what he called a “milestone” in India’s cooperation with the international community in the peaceful use of atomic energy.

“The civil nuclear initiative is good for India and good for the world,” Singh said in a statement after arriving in Sri Lanka on the eve of a South Asian summit.

“As we move forward towards our goal of sustainable development and energy security, the peaceful uses of atomic energy will play an increasingly important role,” said Singh.

India still needs a waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) - 45 states exporting nuclear fuel and technology - and ratification by the US Congress before the deal can go through.

The rules of the NSG, which is expected to hold its next meeting on August 21 in Vienna, ban trade with states, like India, that have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

But the chairman of India’s Atomic Energy Commission, Anil Kakodkar, remained confident that New Delhi would get clearance.

“We are of course approaching all friendly countries but we do hope that the NSG will similarly grant a clean unconditional exemption for India,” he told reporters in Vienna.