Nuke deal: Final IAEA talks likely this month-end

Even after four months into talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), India is struggling to finalise the draft agreement on India-specific safeguards for the 123 Agreement.

Sources say the two sides will hold another round of talks in Vienna that will start on February 26.

The talks, which are expected to continue for a few days, will probably be the last to hammer out the draft agreement on the safeguards. Sheelkant Sharma, India' ambassador to Vienna, is expected to lead the Indian delegation.

The government, however, cannot put its initials on the draft. It will have to bring the text to a UPA-Left committee, which will take a final decision.

The Left has made it clear in the recent past that it intends to bury the deal when the text comes to the committee.

India will go to Vienna under a lot more pressure. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday said Washington's support for India's talks with the Nuclear Suppliers' Group would be available only if it was consistent with the Hyde Act.

"We will support nothing with India in the NSG that is in contradiction to the Hyde Act," Rice said. The NSG negotiations will come after the IAEA talks.

India-specific safeguards have been held up due to differences over the "unconditional guarantee" of nuclear fuel supplies to India.

The government wants to keep the option to conduct a nuclear test if Pakistan takes such a step. But the IAEA rules say fuel supplies to India will be cut if it tests again.

India is also negotiating with the IAEA to allow it to create a strategic nuclear fuel reserve along with fuel supply assurances.