Sino-Pak N-reactor deal: Every country entitled to progress, says Nehchal Sandhu

NEW DELHI: Seeking to downplay reports about Pakistan being set to get nuclear reactors from China, Deputy National Security Adviser Nehchal Sandhu today said "every country is entitled to progress".

The reactors Pakistan is said to be getting are meant for power plants, Sandhu said as he attempted to clarify that their use was for civilian, not military, purposes.

"Every country is entitled to progress," Sandhu told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.

He said India, too, had approached different countries for nuclear reactors for power plants and cited examples of its engagement with France and Russia to illustrate his point.

Reports state that India has already taken up the matter with China at high-level official meetings, pointing out that the prospective sale of reactors was not in consonance with its own international commitments as a party to Non- Proliferation Treaty and a member of Nuclear Suppliers Group.

China is reportedly close to signing a deal with Pakistan for the sale of nuclear reactors. India is said to have raised concerns over the deal at both political and official levels with China and at NSG.

China has defended its nuclear cooperation with Pakistan, saying it falls within the Sino-Pak nuclear cooperation agreement, which precedes its joining of the NSG.

NSG guidelines make it incumbent upon supplier nations to sell nuclear fuel and technology to only those countries which have their entire programme under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, the five declared nuclear weapons power states excepted. India was given an exception following the 2008 nuclear deal.