President Bush signs U.S.-India nuclear deal

December 19, 2006

United States President Bush signed the United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act which provides for cooperation between the US and India in civilian nuclear matters.

The deal would also open 14 of India's nuclear plants to international inspection while leaving eight military nuclear sites closed to outside access.

Critics say that the deal will undermine pre-existing nuclear non-proliferation treaties, embolden other nuclear and near nuclear powers and erode American credibility when dealing with proliferation issues with other countries such as Iran.

In India, the deal has also come under criticism with the oppostion asserting that the deal primarily acts to limit India's nuclear capabilities.