NEW DELHI -- A real problem of an ever-shifting goal post has cast a cloud over America's current negotiations with India to implement a much-heralded nuclear deal that is supposed to showcase the emerging global partnership between the world's most powerful and most populous democracies. Seeking to formally close their past disputes over nuclear issues, the two concluded an accord whose intent is bold but that operationally will constrain India's ability to deter the larger of its two nuclear-armed neighbors, China.

In the period since the accord was reached in Washington last July, the challenges for both countries to translate their commitments into policy have been underscored by the storm of protests in India over the onerous obligations that country has agreed to undertake, and the growing concerns voiced by U.S. nonproliferation zealots that the deal legitimizes the Indian nuclear arsenal and weakens the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) regime.

The July agreement represented only a statement of joint intent. Now negotiations are under way to give effect to the July commitments. By the time U.S. President George W. Bush visits India in two or so months, the two sides will know whether they have settled the issues. Even then, the deal's future will remain uncertain until the U.S. Congress makes necessary changes to U.S. domestic law and the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers' Group removes India as a target of its export controls.