London:Hailing grant of the NSG waiver to India, a "pleased" Britain has said the move would strengthen the non-proliferation regime and make "a significant contribution" to energy and climate security.

The green signal by the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group to India that ends the country s 34-year-old nuclear isolation "represents a gain for the non-proliferation regime" by bringing New Delhi further into the broader non-proliferation framework which the UK firmly supports, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said.

Taking note of India's unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing, he said the "clear commitment" expressed by India in this regard "is also important."

"It is very welcome that the Nuclear Suppliers Group has reached agreement on civil nuclear cooperation with India," he said in a statement last night.

Miliband said the UK has supported the Indo-US civil nuclear initiative from the beginning. "We believe it will make a significant contribution to energy and climate security, as well as developmental and economic objectives, for India and the International Community."

Earlier, British envoy to the NSG, Simon Smith, also expressed happiness that a compromise had been reached on the issue at the grouping.

"We are very pleased that we were able to reach a compromise that everyone could live with."
Source : PTI