Buoyed by the International Atomic Energy Agency's approval of the India-specific safeguards pact, the US on Sunday vowed to push through expeditiously the Nuclear Suppliers Group process but said New Delhi would have to answer a lot of questions to secure a waiver from the 45-nation bloc when it meets later this month.
The Centre will provide a close proximity cover of elite "Black Cat" commandos from the National Security Guard (NSG) to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in the wake of threat perception from Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Lt Colonel E K Niranjan was undertaking a mopping up and render safe procedure on the encounter spot when a blast occurred and splinters and sharpnels hit the officer fatally.
India is all set to become member of Missile Technology Control Regime, a key anti-proliferation grouping, as it cleared final hurdles in getting membership of the bloc that will help it access high-end missile technology.
"What is required is to convince the NSG of the non-proliferation benefits of the deal," Stratford, director at the Office of Nuclear Energy Affairs in the US State Department, said.
The US position is that cooperation on the construction of two new reactors, Chasma III and IV, would be inconsistent with the commitments China made at the time of its adherence to Nuclear Suppliers Group guidelines in 2004.
National Security Guard Director General N P S Aulakh on how the NSG has changed after 26/11.
"We have made the red lines clear ... We might have to backout if the NSG countries do not agree," M R Srinivasan, member of the Atomic Energy Commission, told PTI.
The government said on Tuesday that it would strive to establish a National Security Guard hub or an equivalent commando force in every state in due course to strengthen the national security apparatus. Home Minister P Chidambaram told the Lok Sabha during Question Hour that the government was trying to have these units soon, though it was a long-term plan in view of the constraints of manpower and training.
Notwithstanding the resolution of G-8 countries on curbing transfer of enrichment and reprocessing technology, India on Thursday asserted that it was proceeding with bilateral civil nuclear deals with various countries on the basis of 'clean waiver' granted by the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
The efforts of the Bush administration to get Congress pass legislation that will allow the United States to sell nuclear technology to India and accept it as a full-time partner in the international nuclear community.
While beefing up security in all communally sensitive towns, the Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday sounded a 'red alert' across the state in the wake of the 17th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya.
As soon as Lok Sabha assembled, Bahujan Samaj Party members trooped into the well protesting the Home Ministry proposal and shouted slogans. They alleged that such moves were part of 'a conspiracy' to get the leaders killed.
The National Security Guard, India's most potent commando force, has finetuned its operational readiness and official procedures following the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai, says RS Chauhan
He said while Indian participation in the Sakhalin-1 project demonstrated the joint capabilities and mutuality of interests, India was fully prepared with its technical and financial resources to expand its presence in the Russian energy sector.
Non-proliferation specialists and non-government organisations have asked the foreign ministers of the Nuclear Suppliers Group to reject the US proposal to exempt India from long-standing global nuclear trade standards.
The Indo-US civil nuclear deal may face questions from China in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, former American deputy secretary of state Strobe Talbott said in New Delhi.
The elite National Security Guard was under pressure to use gas to neutralise the heavily armed Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorists during the Mumbai terror attacks last year, but the idea was shot down for fear of repeat of another Russian theatre disaster.
The 'black cats' will reflect a dashing sheen to the parade as they will be dressed in their trademark black coloured overalls, balaclava headgear and special assault rifles MP-5 along with the iconic commando dagger.
In the two-day summit, the SCO will kick off the process of India's accession to the grouping as a full-fledged member along with Pakistan.
The 'heroes of Mumbai' will be a major attraction at the Republic Day parade this year, with the National Security Guard sending a contingent to join other uniformed services to march on the Rajpath for the first time in its history.
The National Security Guard on Saturday rejected allegations of financial irregularities made by a former commando, saying all gift cheques the force received for the 26/11 Mumbai operation have been accounted for and in case of personal ones, they were returned.
VP Ansari thanked Polish leadership for its support to India's bid for NSG membership,
'Procedural procrastination' was Chinese strategy to delay India waiver, NSG diplomats say
After a day-long meeting on Thursday, delegates to the 45-member nuclear cartel expressed optimism over a consensus to end the country's three-decade long nuclear isolation by Friday. "We are close to a consensus. There may be a statement for the Press on Friday," a western diplomat, who refused to be identified either by name or country, said after the delegates considered a revised US draft waiver at the conclusion of 2nd session of the opening day of the two-day meeeting.
They have asked the chief minister to incur expenses for the treatment of Surjan Singh Bhandari, who was injured during the Akshardham attack, when he is taken to Delhi.
A simulated security scare situation was created wherein four "terrorists" entered the RSS building, the official said late night.
Police heads of various units across Gujarat have been instructed to be on "alert mode" and keep a close watch on anti-social elements as well as sensitive areas to avoid any untoward incident.
West Bengal's loss could well be Gujarat's gain. The country's elite counter-terror force National Security Guard has decided to have a large commando base in Gujarat after it failed to set up such a centre in West Bengal.
Cyprus and India also finalised an agreement on combating terrorism, illicit drug trafficking and organised crimes.
Addressing the media jointly with Modi after hour-long talks at the White House, Obama said it was natural for India and the US, two biggest democracies, to 'deepen and broaden' partnership.
On the eve of the Nuclear Suppliers Group's extraordinary plenary meeting to decide on nuclear commerce with India, Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon will brief the current chair Germany and two other key members of the 45-nation NSG.
The four National Security Guard hubs announced in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror strikes last year will be operational by June 30.
Affirming its commitment to work with India in securing a "clean" waiver from the NSG, the US on Monday said the two countries will "continue our vigorous joint advocacy", including at the highest levels, for it ahead of the grouping's next meeting on September 4.
Modi on Saturday embarked on a five-nation visit to Afghanistan, Qatar, Switzerland, the US and Mexico focus of which will be to enhance India's engagement in areas of trade, energy and security, besides pushing for its membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
The National Security Guard chief denied that the terrorists made any move to enter into negotiations by sending demands to the raiding commando units. "We did not received any demand from any of the terrorists," NSG Director General Jyoti Kishan Dutt said.
"Three terrorists have been killed but the operations are still on. Until we search the entire hotel room by room and satisfy ourselves that there are no more terrorists or booby traps I will not declare the operations are over. I don't know whether all of them have been killed. I can say only after completing the operations," Director General of NSG, J K Dutt, told reporters outside the hotel.
With about 1,000 acres of land already identified on the outskirts of the city, work on setting up the regional centre of National Security Guards in Mumbai will start in two to three months, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has said."The work on setting up the regional centre of NSG would begin in two to three months as about 1,000 acres of land on the outskirts of the city has already been identified," Chavan said. The State Security Guards would also be set up in three months.
India on Monday got the backing of Switzerland in its bid to become a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
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