India holds talks with NSG

The meeting was the first of its kind after the NSG allowed its members to engage in nuclear commerce with India, which has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The steps taken to put the nuclear facilities under the surveillance of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were reviewed in the meeting.

A team from the NSG led by its current chair Ambassador Viktor Elbling of Germany was in capital for the meeting. The representatives of South Africa, the previous chair of the NSG, and Hungary, the next chair of the group, were also in the team. The current chair, previous chair and next chair are collectively known as NSG Troika.

Vivek Katzu, a special secretary (political and international organisations) with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), led the Indian side in the meeting with the NSG Troika.
India has had several meetings with the NSG Troika since 2004 – particularly during the rush to get the waiver and operationalise the civil nuclear agreement with the US.

“Monday’s meeting was held in the context of the decision by the NSG in September 2008 enabling its members to engage in full civil nuclear cooperation with India,” a statement issued by the MEA said. It said that the discussions had been positive and forward looking and included an exchange of views on future cooperation in different areas.