India lobbies for entry into elite nuclear clubs

India reiterated its desire to get “full membership” of all four nuclear non-proliferation regimes and said it was hopeful that its continuing engagement with these regimes and their member countries would be fruitful.

In an address at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, London, on Monday, foreign secretary, Nirupama Rao said India’s Civil Nuclear Initiative has resulted in international cooperation with various partners, including the US, France, UK, Russia, Canada, etc.

“This has reflected recognition of India’s impeccable non-proliferation record and its contributions to global non-proliferation objectives. We have in place strict and effective controls over the export of sensitive items in line with the best international standards.”

She said, the tragic Fukushima incident has raised world wide concerns about the safety aspects of nuclear power and that lessons learnt will be useful for global nuclear power industry.

She further went on to say, “At the national level, India is taking measures to reassure our people about the safety of our nuclear power plants, including technical review of safety of our plants and strengthening the safety regulatory framework. We also participated in the recent IAEA Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety in Vienna.”