New Delhi: India has tightened the screw on export of nuclear equipment and technology in a move that seems to be a fallout of its recent deal with the United States.
Under the new guidelines, their export can be authorised only when "the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguard-arrangements are made or assured by the recipient country."
Furthermore, "the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) should be satisfied that the transfers would not contribute to the development of nuclear weapons or be diverted to acts of nuclear terrorism."
Each and every application for export shall be scrutinised on case-by-case basis by the licensing authority (DAE).
Licenses are subject to recipient states having relevant IAEA safeguards agreement in force and agreeing to on-site verifications (by Indian inspectors).
India also reserves the right to apply additional conditions of supply as a matter of national policy.
In addition, the consent of the Government of India should be required for any retransfer of exported items or related technology.
The guidelines prohibit export of certain "prescribed" substances or technologies "when there is an unacceptable risk of their diversion to the development of a nuclear device."
Otherwise, virtually the entire range of nuclear technologies developed by DAE in the last 40 years, including enrichment technology, can be exported if IAEA safeguards are applied to them by recipient nations.
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