Ahead of the two-day extraordinary plenary meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group in Vienna [Images] from Thursday, India on Sunday said that it expected an exemption from the NSG without any change to the draft that was circulated by the United States.

'Clear waiver at NSG is a fantasy'                             

India also expected the entire process to move in a manner consistent with the July 18, 2005, understanding.

"We have done everything that had to be done and now we expect the NSG exemption without any change to the draft that was circulated to them recently," Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission Anil Kakodkar said.

US lawmaker opposes NSG exemption for India

NSG is holding a two-day extraordinary plenary meeting from August 21 especially to discuss the exemptions to India for international nuclear commerce.

Reacting to a letter written by non-proliferation experts and NGOs asking the NSG to reject the US proposal to exempt India from long-standing global nuclear trade standards, Kakodkar said, "We expect the process to move consistent with the July 18, 2005, understanding and any change in their position is problematic."

Lot of hurdles ahead for N-deal, says PM

"We cannot agree to further demands and there is no way we can," he said.

Last week, 150 non-proliferation experts and NGOs from around two dozen countries asked foreign ministers of the Nuclear Suppliers Group to reject the US proposal to exempt India from long-standing global nuclear trade standards.

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In their letter, non-proliferation proponents had said, "India's commitments under the current terms of the proposed arrangement do not justify making far-reaching exemptions to international non-proliferation rules and norms."

For now, the draft waiver the United States had circulated to enable India to access items from the Nuclear Suppliers Group matches the description of 'clean and unconditional'.

Coverage: The Indo-US nuclear agreement