A powerful lobby group here has urged the South African government to oppose India’s bid to buy nuclear fuel and technology when the issue comes up at the next meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group early September.

“I am writing to you to urge you to oppose an exemption for India from the rules of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG),” Dominique Gilbert of the Pelindaba Working Group (PWG), a member of the national Coalition Against Nuclear Energy, wrote in a letter shared with media. South Africa is one of the 45 members.

The group takes its name from South Africa’s first nuclear energy research centre at Pelindaba, north of here.
“As you know, the NSG operates by consensus, so by blocking such an exemption South Africa can prevent grave damage being done to the international nuclear non-proliferation regime,” Gilbert said.