New Delhi: Sweden may be considered a hardline member of the `non-proliferation' lobby in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), but Stockholm says it hopes to approach the issue of civil nuclear cooperation with India "from a positive point of view."

Speaking to reporters here shortly after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt said his country was concerned about proliferation issues, but also had "a deeper understanding of the need for India to develop its peaceful use of nuclear energy." This was important for energy security and the "environmental climate change point of view as well."

Stand at NSG

Asked what Sweden's stand at the NSG would be when the question of making an exception for India comes up, Mr. Bildt said, "We'll of course have to await the outcome of the ongoing discussions between India and the U.S., and India and the IAEA." He expected the NSG to take up the matter after India negotiated its safeguards agreement with the IAEA.

Mr. Bildt said Swedensaw India "as a very responsible partner" as far as non-proliferation was concerned. "[India] has not been a proliferator ever, and we wouldn't expect it under any circumstances to become one, so we hope to be able to approach these issues from a positive point of view."

Sweden knew India's accession to the NPT was never going to happen. "But that being the case, we have an interest in India being part of an agreed structure on these particular issues, and this agreement could be a positive step in that direction. But we have to look at the details."

Asked whether Sweden favoured making the NSG exception for India conditional on the maintenance of a nuclear test moratorium, Mr. Bildt said Sweden was a supporter of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty "[but] let's see what will be the content of what comes out of the India-U.S. talks on that." At the same time, he declined to answer whether the India-U.S. agreement would form the template for the NSG's proposed rule change.

"It is difficult to answer until we see the deal. It's rather theoretical otherwise," he said. "The appropriate line [of action] is to await the outcome of the [India-U.S.] talks."

On the prospect of the Swedish company, Saab, winning a part of the contract to sell 126 fighter planes to the Indian Air Force, Mr. Bildt said the Indian side had still not issued a `Request for Proposal;' so it was too early to say what might happen. But he added, in response to a question, that once Sweden took a decision to sell its aircraft, all contractual obligations would be upheld even if India conducted a test.

"We have a very clear legislation that before we, as a Government, approve a process that might lead to a contract, we must make a political evaluation. When that is done, and there is a green light, we enter into a commitment for the duration of this program, irrespective of these things." Sweden was not a great power and did not have the liberty of taking ad hoc decisions. "We need to enter into reliable contractual arrangements that really hold over a period of time, and that's been our track record."

Mr. Bildt said if the IAF bought the JAS-39 Gripen from Saab, Sweden would offer a lot of technology transfer. "I see the aircraft more or less being built [in India] and more than that, I see the possibility of the aircraft being co-developed because what we're talking about is ... a significantly enhanced version of the aircraft. And I would expect India to be part of that."

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