The U.S. Congress has approved a nuclear deal between the United States and India that will allow the U.S. to export nuclear fuel, reactors and technologies for peaceful energy use to India. The agreement, which went into effect Wednesday when signed by President George W. Bush, is virtual recognition of India as a nuclear-weapons state, thus undermining the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty regime set up in 1970.

The five nuclear-weapons states that are parties to the NPT — U.S., Russia, Britain, France and China — are not to assist non-NPT nations in developing nuclear power. India never signed the NPT, but exploded nuclear devices in 1974 and 1998. The 1974 nuclear test prompted the formation of the Nuclear Suppliers Group to control the trade in nuclear technologies and materials with a view toward preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

But in September, the NSG's 45 member nations, including Japan, unanimously agreed to give a waiver to India. Japan agreed to grant the exemption on the condition that India continue to observe its nuclear test moratorium pledge. But the agreement approved by the U.S. Congress contains no clause that halts nuclear trade with India if the latter resumes nuclear testing. In August, India agreed to open up 14 reactors for civilian use to International Atomic Energy Agency inspection. But its eight other reactors are not subject to such inspection.