Click to play videoVienna: The fate of the Indo-US nuclear deal hinges on what happens at the meeting of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) in Vienna, but the leak of a 'secret' letter in America has embarrassed the Manmohan Singh Government.
The letter, written by the US State Department to the US Congress, says that nuclear commerce with India would be halted if it conducted a nuclear test.
Friday is the second day of deliberations in Vienna and sources have told CNN IBN that some progress has been made at the meeting. However, the sources refused to give details or say whether a consensus was in sight.
Earlier, US Under Secretary of State and nuclear envoy, William Burns had also hinted along the same lines.
Burns said, "I believe that we are making steady progress in this process and will continue to make progress. While a number of representatives here have raised questions that need to be addressed, our discussions have been constructive and clearly aimed at reaching an early consensus."
But the passage to a consensus on Friday will clearly lie in bridging the gap between what some NSG members want and what India can live with.
Some NSG members want the revised draft to incorporate a reference to immediate termination of all nuclear trade if India tests an atomic device.
India has said no to this but is okay with a process of consultation to determine the circumstances of the test.
NSG has also said that there will be says no transfer of enrichment or reprocessing technologies. India says don't single us out for this ban and leave it to individual countries to decide what to do.
India is also prepared to join hands with the NSG in strengthening global non-proliferation.
If there is no consensus on Friday, that leaves everyone with two alternatives - that another NSG round is held to resolve the deadlock or the entire effort is put on the backburner until a new administration comes to power in the US and another in New Delhi take office next year and try and put the nuclear deal back on track.
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