Beijing, Sept. 9: China hopes the waiver of nuclear trade ban against India would be conducive to global cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy and non-proliferation.

"China has always advocated that all countries are entitled to the peaceful use of nuclear energy," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Monday.

"But, at the same time, international cooperation should help maintain the integrity and validity of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime," the China Daily quoted her as saying further.

The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the regulatory body on global nuclear technology trade, lifted a 34-year-old ban on India on Saturday. The move is seen as giving the green light to a nuclear deal between New Delhi and Washington.

India had been denied access to civilian nuclear technology after it conducted a nuclear test in 1974. But it has not yet signed the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) despite pledging to abide by the NPT principle.

According to a US-Indian agreement signed in March 2006, India will get access to US civil nuclear technology on condition that it separates nuclear facilities for civilian and military uses and opens its nuclear facilities for inspection.

The impact of lifting the nuclear ban on India would depend on New Delhi's behavior, Chinese analysts said.

"If India abides by NPT rules, the waiver will bear positive results," said Fu Xiaoqiang, senior researcher with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.

Fu said New Delhi's primary purpose is to ensure its domestic energy interests, not to counterbalance China.

Shen Dingli, director of Fudan University's American Studies Center, said steps should be taken to update some of the NPT regulations. (ANI)