Delhi vows no new arms race

Vienna: India pledgedon Friday not to engage in a fresh arms race as talks continued in Vienna over whether to let the United States sell India nuclear material and technology for civilian use.

It remained unclear whether the US would win its push to get a waiver on a nuclear trade ban.

More than a dozen nations have balked at the deal, pointing out that India has conducted atomic test blasts and has refused to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

In New Delhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said his country remains committed to a voluntary moratorium on nuclear testing. He said India would not touch off a new arms race or share sensitive nuclear technology with others.

"We do not subscribe to any arms race, including a nuclear arms race," Mukherjee said yesterday. "We have always tempered the exercise of our strategic autonomy with a sense of global responsibility. We affirm our policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons."

The talks were convened by the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, which governs the legal trade in nuclear components and technology.

Thursday's session was inconclusive.

Time pressure

The Bush administration has been racing to get approval from the nuclear group and the US Congress before lawmakers recess for the rest of the year to devote time to their re-election campaigns.

US officials contend that selling peaceful nuclear technology to India would bring the country's atomic programme under closer scrutiny and boost - not undermine - international non-proliferation efforts.

Some delegates signalled that the talks were close to reaching a compromise agreement, though they offered no details.

But opposing countries have expressed fears that a reversal of more than three decades of US policy toward India could set a dangerous precedent in the struggle to discourage other nations from pursuing weapons of mass destruction.

Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Washington-based Arms Control Association, played down India's latest pledge to refrain from further nuclear testing.

"No ... Indian national statement on its nonproliferation commitments can substitute for clear and unambiguous restrictions and conditions for NSG trade with India," Kimball said.

China also urged caution earlier this week, saying the peaceful use of nuclear energy must be balanced against concerns about possible weapons development.