Vienna, Saturday 6 September 2008: The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) on Saturday approved India a crucial waiver that will permit it to carry out nuclear commerce, ending 34 years of isolation enforced in the wake of the 1974 Pokharan nuclear tests.

The unprecedented decision of the 45-nation nuclear cartel giving exemption to a country, which has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), is a landmark step in the implementation of the Indo-US nuclear deal that will now go to the US Congress for approval.

After protracted negotiations, the NSG today adopted an exemption for nuclear exports to India, the Austrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

There is a sense of relief. I am particularly happy that the waiver (for India) meets with international nuclear non-proliferation architecture, Peter Launsky, Austrian foreign ministry spokesman said after an unscheduled meeting of the NSG here.

Austria, along with Ireland, New Zealand and Switzerland had expressed strong reservations over the waiver being given to India that forced the grouping to have an unscheduled meeting on Saturday after two days of deliberations failed to produce a consensus.