New Delhi, Sept. 26: China has told India that when the US nuclear deal comes to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) for clearance, Beijing would not stand in the way.

China’s agreement paves the way for a more or less assured consensus for the deal when the matter comes up at the NSG.

It also emboldens Delhi to go ahead with its decision to take the next steps, though CPM leader Prakash Karat had said he would oppose the deal even if the communist China supported it.

When foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee convenes a meeting of the UPA-Left mechanism on October 5, he can hope to score some points by pointing to Beijing’s support.

Moreover, it considerably eases Delhi’s path towards finalising the safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The government and the IAEA have reportedly negotiated and drafted the safeguards agreement. All Delhi needs to do now is go public with its decision to go to the IAEA.

China’s dramatic agreement came at talks with visiting foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon to Beijing last week.

Menon met the powerful state councillor of the Chinese Communist Party, Tang Jiaxuan, foreign minister Yang Jiechi as well as assistant foreign minister He Yafei.

Analysts in Delhi said China’s turnaround could be attributed to Beijing’s reluctance to take on the US. So it allowed official media to publish strong criticism of the Indo-US deal, but toed a cautious line in its public pronouncements.

The rejuvenated spirit of Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai comes a few days before the CPM politburo and central committee meetings in Calcutta this weekend.

The Chinese accommodation of India’s interests at this crucial juncture could considerably add to the Left discomfiture. The CPM still maintains strong fraternal ties with the Communist Party of China.

Whether China’s stand would embolden sceptics of Karat’s line to speak out or not, Delhi believes that it has been handed a Brahmastra by Beijing.

China’s surprising affinity with India means consensus in the NSG is almost ready. Only nations like Norway and Ireland are still holding out. But when such countries see that even China has joined the pro-India club, they could fall in line.