1/ In many ways, the nuclear deal was about all but civilian nuclear cooperation. And India's liability law is not the only stumbling block there. Fukushima Daiichi disaster dampened global appetite for nuclear power. Westinghouse went bankrupt. https://twitter.com/suhasinih/status/1284466139527958528

2/ Nuke Deal effects visible elsewhere: huge jump in defence commerce; end of tech denial regimes (DRDO etc. taken off Entities List); much deeper understanding of each other's political systems & constraints (Indian envoys had to lobby Senator Obama, staunch opponent of deal).

3/ Most of all, recognition of India as a responsible nuclear power & use of US diplomatic weight to create an exception (& exemptions) for India in the international nuclear order. Both sides got much out of the deal. Nuclear commerce is now almost a red herring.

4/ Timing too was perfect, when the US still carried the influence and legitimacy to get things done in the international order. Imagine trying to do a similar deal today. In 2008, China had to allow India an NSG waiver. By 2019, China could block India's NSG membership. /END

PS. @my_own_pulpit and I have an unfinished paper on this topic, based on interviews with many of the key negotiators. We wrote a short piece based on our research a couple of years ago. https://thediplomat.com/2018/07/trust-and-leadership-the-art-of-the-us-india-nuclear-deal/