NEW DELHI - China has indicated it will not stand in the way of a controversial Indian nuclear energy deal with the United States, the Indian government said on Wednesday, shedding its ambiguity over a pact which needs global approvals. Beijing’s stance had caused concern in New Delhi until now as the pact needs unanimous backing at the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) -- of which China is a member -- although analysts had expected it to eventually support the deal.The Chinese comments came at talks between Premier Wen Jiabao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the 16-nation East Asia Summit in Singapore. “The two prime ministers discussed opportunities that exist for furthering cooperation in regional and multilateral forums on global issues such as climate change and energy security,” an Indian foreign ministry statement said. “Premier Wen was forthcoming and supportive of international civil nuclear energy cooperation with India.”
The deal aims to give India access to American nuclear fuel and reactors -- and eventually from other countries -- by lifting a ban imposed after New Delhi stayed out of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and conducted a nuclear test in 1974. It has been hailed as a symbol of the new friendship between India and the United States, but Indian communists who have been traditionally opposed to Washington, say it hurts sovereignty and puts New Delhi under American influence. Last week, they softened their opposition and gave conditional approval to the government to hold talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to conclude a safeguards agreement needed to clinch the deal.