France may help India get N-tech

French special envoy Gerard Errera is also believed to have invited Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra to continue the Indo-French “strategic dialogue”, that began here this morning, in Paris before the year is out.

“We would like India to adopt the guidelines of the NSG, even if it doesn’t formally join this body,” French officials told The Indian Express, adding, “We are convinced that progress should be made to find India a place in the post-Pokharan new world. But it’s a question of timing. And we need alliesin our effort.”

But Paris also wants New Delhi to subscribe to certain conditions which they feel could strengthen France’s hand when it seeks to modify some of the rules of the NSG.

Some of the conditions are: India should sign the CTBT, join negotiations on the Fissile Material Cut-Off convention, put all its civilian nuclear plants under IAEA safeguards (“which all nuclear weapon states do”) and restrain its weaponisation programme.

French foreign ministry officials say they are particularly concerned about the fact that India is developing certain programmes which are “capable of striking China.”

If India continues with its weaponisation, the officials added, it “will change the balance of power in the region. We are very concerned that this will fuel an arms race in the region.”

Mishra told reporters today that the bilateral dialogue encompassed the entire gamut of issues, including civilian nuclear energy cooperation. Officials also said Errera would meet Prime Minister A B Vajpayee aswell as Defence Minister George Fernandes tomorrow.

Interestingly, France is also making a subtle distinction between India’s civilian and military nuclear plants, by saying that only the former could be placed under IAEA safeguards. “Let’s be realistic. India will not put its military reactors under international safeguards,” French officials said.

The US position has so far been that India should accept fullscope safeguards, a position which New Delhi has vehemently rejected. But analysts also point out that the French position puts the onus on India to disclose which of its indigenously built nuclear reactors have military applications. “Essentially, there is little difference between the US and French views,” the analysts said.