The US-India Nuclear Deal

The circa 1970 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) is designed to limit the spread of nuclear weapons. 189 countries have signed it, including 5 nuclear powers - the US, UK, France, China, and Russia. All the signatories agree to not spread nuclear technology to non-nuclear states and states that haven't signed the NPT. So, hypothetically, a nuclear state such as the US can't provide nuclear technology to, for example, India, because India hasn't signed the NPT. To do so violates "international law".

Question: Who cares about international law? The only reason that laws as such mean anything is because there are consequences for violating them. There are no such consequences for violating "international law" because there is no international legal authority, just as there should not be.

A better question: How exactly does this nuclear deal between the US and India benefit the US? Other than perhaps creating a stronger bond between us and the "world's largest democracy", it doesn't benefit us at all. It does, on the other hand, create ill-will for us in places like Western Europe because we are at least violating the spirit of the NPT, and it does harm our relationship with Pakistan, India's adversary.