Burns likely to talk Iran vote, F-16 sale

After signing the historic nuclear deal in July, triumphalism in New Delhi and Washington has yielded to a recognition of the technical and political difficulties in implementing it.

Some of the problems were expected, given the ambitious scope of the deal. The US agreed to change its domestic laws on non-proliferation and lobby for a modification of international rules on civilian nuclear energy cooperation in Delhi’s favour. India undertook to strengthen its non-proliferation commitments and separate civilian and military nuclear programmes. New Delhi and Washington are aware that the problem of sorting out second order issues has the potential to undo the pact.

If the challenges on the nuclear front were daunting, Iran and Pakistan have raised broader political questions on the capacity of the two sides to manage divergences relating to third parties.

When Burns lands here, the Bush Administration would have got the first sounding from the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group on the possibilities of altering the rules in favour of India.

However, many in the US Congress have made India’s voting at the IAEA on Iran a test case for Delhi’s commitment to non-proliferation and its will to partner the US on issues of concern to Washington. Burns would want to know whether India has the political will to override intense domestic opposition when Iran comes up again next month.

India, meanwhile, is expected to raise questions on US-Pak ties, in view of the former’s backing for Musharraf on J-K last month and the sale of F-16s to Pakistan.