Portugal said on Saturday it would support India's quest for nuclear co-operation at the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) that controls international trade in fissile materials.
"Portugal supports India in the NSG. It's high time the international community admits that India has given enough guarantees for prudent use of nuclear energy," Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates said at a joint press briefing with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh after bilateral talks in the Indian capital.
"We are convinced that India has given evidence of being prudent in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy," he added. India and the United States have agreed on a civilian nuclear deal that would allow the US to provide nuclear materials and technology to civilian reactors in India ending a 30-year ban.
But India has to enter a country-specific safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the deal has to be approved by the NSGand once again by the US Congress before it can become operational.
The Indian government is currently engaged in talks with the IAEAthough it faces stiff opposition to the deal from political parties, including its leftist allies, at home.
Socrates said that not only did Portugal support the India-US deal but would also use its influence to convince other European NSG countries to back the deal. "Yes, we will do our utmost to convince other countries of our position. India has given enough evidence about its prudent use of nuclear energy," he said. Portugal currently holds the rotating presidency of the 27-nation EU.
The Portuguese premier also said his country would support India's bid for a seat in the United Nations Security Council. "We are grateful to Portugal for its most friendly support and understanding of India's candidature for permanent membership of an expanded Security Council," Singh said after what he termed "very fruitful talks" with Socrates on a range of bilateral and global issues.