'If you want to be treated like India, be like India'

Remarks of Congressman Gary Ackerman, made on the floor of the House of Representatives on July 26 in support of the Indo-US nuclear agreement:

'Mr Chairman, I rise in strong support of HR 5682, the US-India Nuclear Cooperation Promotion Act of 2006. 

Mr Chairman, today the House has an opportunity to make an historic choice of great proportions.

For 30 years, Mr Chairman, US policy towards India has been defined and constrained by our insistence on punishing India for its sovereign decision not to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Truth be told, had India conducted its nuclear tests earlier, it would have been treated like China, Russia, France, Britain and the United States. In short, it would have been grandfathered in as a member of the nuclear weapons club. But they did not test earlier. And they have been treated differently. And nothing we have tried over the last three decades has convinced them to give up their nuclear status. And nothing that we would say over the next three decades would convince them either.

The time has come for the United States to deal with the reality of South Asia as it is, and as a fanciful wish. India lives in a difficult neighbourhood, next to Pakistan which continues to produce nuclear weapons unchecked and China who's commitment to a fissile material cut-off is suspect at best. If India didn't exist in that neighborhood, we would have to invent them. India has been a responsible nuclear power and deserves to be treated that way. The bill before does just that.

Critics have expressed concerns regarding the bill's impact on our non-proliferation policy and clearly, Iran, Pakistan and North Korea are all looking for clues about what this deal means for them and their nuclear programmes. What do you tell Pakistan and Iran and North Korea? Well, you tell them this: If you want to be treated like India, be like India. Be a responsible international actor with regard to weapons of mass destruction technologies. Don't sell your nuclear technologies to the highest bidder. Don't provide it to terrorists. Be a democracy -- a real democracy like India and work with us on important foreign policy objectives and not against us.

Iran and North Korea signed the NPT and are now running away from their freely entered into obligations and away from IAEA inspections. India did not sign the NPT, yet is embracing the IAEA and embracing global non-proliferation norms. India's attitude should be recognized and commended and congratulated.           

There are two options before us today. One: Don't pass the bill. We do that and we allow India to pursue its national interests unimpeded as it has been doing outside the non-proliferation mainstream. 

The other is to make the deal with India and get for the United States and the international community a window in perpetuity into 2/3rd of India's nuclear facilities and all of its future nuclear facilities, under safeguards, in compliance, transparent.

I think the choice is clear: if you want the IAEA to inspect India's civilian nuclear facilities, then you're for this bill; if you want India to be obligated to adhere to the Missile Technology Control Regime for the first time, then you're for the bill; if you want them to comply for the first time with the Nuclear Suppliers Group guidelines, then you're for the bill; if you want to send a clear message to nuclear rogue states about how to behave, then you're for the bill; and if you want a broad, deep and enduring strategic relationship with India, then you are for the bill!

It is time for a 21st century policy towards India, one that supports and encourages India's emergence as a global responsible power and solidifies the US-India bilateral relations for decades to come. The bill before us today is that new policy. I urge our colleagues to vote yes on HR 5682!'