The United States wants India to join the Proliferation Security Initiative as part of a 'credible' plan for separation of civilian and military nuclear programmes before the July 18 landmark nuclear agreement can be put up for US Congress approval.
The PSI, announced by US President George W Bush in May 2003, will result in the creation of international agreements and partnerships that would allow the US and its allies to search planes and ships carrying suspect cargo and seize illegal weapons or missile technologies.
George Allen, a Republican Senator from Virginia and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said at an interaction with business leaders on Monday that currently the mood in the US Congress about the India-US nuclear agreement is 'one of optimism'.
But to get Congress approval, India will have to present a 'credible' plan for separation of its civilian and military nuclear installations.
"We need to see a credible plan from India... It is for India to see what is what is not. But it would be good gesture for India to join the Proliferation Security Initiative," he said in reply to a question at the interaction organised by the Indo-US Chamber of Commerce.
"The PSI has been defined as a response to the growing challenge posed by proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems and related materials worldwide. It builds on efforts by the international community to prevent proliferation of such items, including existing treaties and regimes," a US embassy official said.
Initially comprising 11 countries -- Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States -- the international coalition is focused on pre-emptive interdiction, seeking to allow ships, aircraft and vehicles suspected of carrying WMD-related material to and from countries of 'proliferation concern' (in particular, North Korea and Iran) to be detained and searched as soon as they enter member countries' territory, territorial waters, or airspace.
It will also encourage member countries to deny flying rights to suspicious aircraft or ground them when they stop to refuel.
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