The US-India Nuclear Deal: The End of Universal Non-Proliferation Efforts? OLIVER MEIER T he us government’s plan to lift the nuclear embargo on India runs counter to global efforts against the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The acceptance of India into the circle of recognized nuclear weapon states would prove that universal and generally binding principles no longer form the basis of global non-proliferation efforts but rather that Western countries are increasingly deciding between good and bad pro­liferation. India has isolated itself through its pursuit of nuclear weapons and is still not prepared to observe global non-proliferation rules. Nevertheless, the Bush administration wants to cultivate New Delhi as a long-term partner in Asia, above all as a counterweight to China. The lifting of nu­clear sanctions is the core of this policy. India’s nuclear weapons policy has challenged the international com­munity for more than 30 years and paradoxically has led to a strengthen­ing and consolidation of the very multilateral non-proliferation efforts that are now being put in jeopardy by the us -India nuclear deal. A loos­ening or even lifting of existing nuclear restrictions in supplies would ce­ment India’s special position outside the nuclear non-proliferation treaty known as the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons( npt ) and would serve as a signal that the pursuit of nuclear weapons can pay politically. Against the background of international efforts to persuade Iran to voluntarily refrain from nuclear activities this is the wrong mes­sage. It goes against the European approach to non-proliferation, univer­salizing global norms and making them more binding. In the unstable triangle of nuclear powers China, India, and Pakistan support for the In­dian nuclear program could also trigger a new round of the regional arms race. It has still not been decided whether the American government will go through with its intention to lift the nuclear sanctions. In both Washing­ton and New Delhi there is opposition to the nuclear deal. Internation­ally, the participants in the Nuclear Suppliers Group( nsg ) have to 28 Meier, The US-India Nuclear Deal ipg 4/2006