The mutual understanding announced on March 2,2006, is only the second stageon the road to the formalisation and implementation of the deal. The third stagewill be the acceptance by the US Congress of the details of the New Delhiunderstanding and its amendment of the US laws which presently come in the wayof the US assistance to India. The support of the Congress and an earlyamendment of the laws cannot be taken for granted. Possible Chinese oppositionduring the third stage of acceptance by the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG),either at its own instance or at the instigation of Pakistan, cannot be ruledout. One should not forget the Chinese opposition, at the Pakistani instigation,to India becoming a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The fifthand final stage will be the conclusion of an India-specific safeguards agreementwith the International Atomic Energy Agency at Vienna. This is an euphemism forIndia's formalising its acceptance of the principle of irreversibility of itsdecision whatever be the future threats to its security.