| The United States will soon play host to an | | | | of the NPT, it remains a \"responsible\" |
| honored guest from India, a person who has | | | | nuclear nation. The Indian government |
| been one of the architects of India\'s | | | | introduced a bill in parliament this week |
| nuclear program. | | | | that intends to codify New Delhi\'s policy to |
| | | | prevent the spread of its nuclear weapon and |
| In a clear indication that much water has | | | | missile technology to non-nuclear states, a |
| passed under the bridge since India turned | | | | charge its nuclear neighbor Pakistan faces. |
| into a nuclear-weapons state in May 1998, Dr | | | | |
| R Chidambaram, principal scientific adviser | | | | \"We have adopted the most responsible policy |
| to the government of India, will visi | | | | on sensitive and dual-use nuclear and |
| Washington for talks with the US nuclear | | | | missile-related technologies,\" Foreign |
| establishment. The post that Chidambaram | | | | Minister Natwar Singh said on Thursday as the |
| holds is equivalent to that of a minister, | | | | Lower House of the Indian parliament passed |
| and he is the nodal person to coordinate all | | | | the measure, the Weapons of Mass Destruction |
| nuclear efforts by India, whether for | | | | and Their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of |
| civilian purposes or otherwise. | | | | Unlawful Activities) Bill, by a voice vote. |
| | | | \"We are committed to ensure that these do |
| Chidambaram\'s clearance follows US Secretary | | | | not fall into the wrong hands, especially the |
| of State Condoleezza Rice\'s landmark visit | | | | terrorists and non-state actors,\" the |
| to India earlier this year, during which Rice | | | | minister said. The bill will finally become |
| discussed US willingness to end the more than | | | | law once it is passed by the upper house, |
| three-decades-long nuclear energy blockade of | | | | which will be a formality. |
| India. Rice\'s reiteration of US intentions | | | | |
| is a reflection of the way the President | | | | Like Chidambaram\'s visit, the nuclear bill |
| George W Bush regime is looking to construct | | | | comes almost seven years to the day that |
| a new nuclear global order. | | | | India dared international norms and tested a |
| | | | nuclear weapon. India\'s nuclear control bill |
| Chidambaram was chairman of the Indian Atomic | | | | also coincides with an international |
| Energy Commission when on May 11 and 13, | | | | conference on the future of the NPT. |
| 1998, a series of nuclear tests were | | | | |
| conducted at Pokhran, in the northern desert | | | | Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in |
| state of Rajasthan, under the aegis of | | | | parliament this week: \"The provisions of the |
| then-prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. | | | | act apply to export, transfer, re-transfer, |
| Pakistan soon followed at Chagai Hills, in | | | | transit and transshipment of material, |
| Balochistan province, with its nuclear | | | | equipment or technology relating to weapons |
| arsenal built and peddled across the world by | | | | of mass destruction or their means of |
| nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan. | | | | delivery.\" |
| | | | |
| Chidambaram essayed a stellar role in the | | | | India feels it should be perceived as a |
| execution of the tests, including on-site | | | | country that can be \"trusted\", despite |
| supervision. Weeks after, he was scheduled to | | | | staying out of the NPT. In February this year |
| attend a meeting organized by the American | | | | the head of the US Nuclear Regulatory |
| Crystallographic Association in his capacity | | | | Commission, led by its commissioner, Jeffrey |
| as vice chairman of the International Union | | | | Merrifield, visited the Indian Atomic Energy |
| of Crystallographers. But an angry US | | | | Regulatory Board and went back quite |
| administration under president Bill Clinton | | | | satisfied with India\'s nuclear safety |
| denied him a visa, despite support for | | | | record. |
| Chidambaram from the US scientific community. | | | | |
| | | | Following in the footsteps of the US, Russia |
| Several other scientists were subsequently | | | | also has expressed its readiness to further |
| denied visas, and researchers and engineers | | | | expand cooperation with India in civilian |
| working on joint collaborations, such as the | | | | nuclear energy. Prime Minister Manmohan |
| light combat aircraft project, were asked to | | | | Singh, during his recent meeting with Russian |
| return home. In September last year, the US | | | | President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of |
| imposed sanctions on two Indian scientists | | | | VE-Day festivities in Moscow, impressed |
| following their alleged nuclear cooperation | | | | India\'s nonproliferation record along with |
| with Iran, to which India had strongly | | | | the proposed nuclear bill. Russia is helping |
| protested. | | | | India construct a nuclear power plant in |
| | | | Tamil Nadu under a deal signed in 1985 by |
| Successive US administrations have refused to | | | | then-prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, and |
| approve sales of nuclear material to Indian | | | | erstwhile Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev. |
| since it did not adhere to the global nuclear | | | | After the break up of the USSR in 1991, |
| regime governed by the nuclear | | | | Russia joined the Nuclear Suppliers Group, |
| Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) that came into | | | | which bans it from selling civilian nuclear |
| existence in 1968. India, as well as | | | | technology to non-signatories of the NPT, |
| Pakistan, has not signed the NPT as it feels | | | | including India. |
| it discriminates between the nuclear haves | | | | |
| and have-nots, with no obligation on the | | | | It may be recalled that the existing US-led |
| adherents of the NPT to rein in their nuclear | | | | global nuclear regime is struggling to deal |
| programs. | | | | with the fact that North Korea has declared |
| | | | that it possesses nuclear weapons while Iran |
| In a top-level exchange that is also a | | | | is intent on moving in the same direction. |
| reflection of changing paradigms, Chidambaram | | | | India and Pakistan tested their nuclear |
| is scheduled to visit the US on May 19 to | | | | devices in 1998, thereby completely flouting |
| discuss issues related to proposed | | | | the existing nuclear order under the NPT. |
| cooperation between the two sides on nuclear | | | | |
| energy, relevant technologies and the | | | | Several reports suggest there is increasing |
| jettisoning of roadblocks. Ironically, | | | | cooperation between \"rouge\" states, with |
| Chidambaram had been invited to witness a US | | | | Iran-North Korea forming a cartel of support |
| nuclear test in Nevada in the late 1960s and | | | | for each other along with the possible |
| played a leading role in the design and | | | | complicity of states such as Pakistan, which |
| execution of the peaceful nuclear experiment | | | | peddled nuclear technology across the world |
| by India in 1974. | | | | courtesy of powerful people such as Khan. |
| | | | Iran and Iraq, incidentally, signed the NPT, |
| Recently, top officials of the Indian Space | | | | making them eligible to procure nuclear |
| Research Organization (ISRO) - another body | | | | technology for peaceful purposes from other |
| that has faced the brunt of US sanctions due | | | | signatories that possessed weapons such as |
| to development of dual-use technologies - | | | | the US, the UK and France. |
| have also been visiting the US for | | | | |
| discussions with scientists. India hopes | | | | The US circle of suspicion includes China, |
| there is the possibility of an American | | | | which is reported to have helped out with |
| payload delivered by Indian launch vehicles | | | | Pakistan\'s missile and nuclear program, with |
| in the near future. | | | | the US unwilling to hear any talk of arms |
| | | | supply to the Asian giant by the European |
| Indeed, the US has been trying to redefine | | | | Union. The US considers Pakistan to be a much |
| its approach toward nuclear cooperation under | | | | closer militarily with China, which is never |
| the Bush administration while keeping the | | | | a comforting thought. The momentum to enhance |
| pressure on countries such as India to sign | | | | military relations (apart from nuclear |
| the NPT. The new paradigm, according to | | | | cooperation) with India also follows reports |
| experts, defines clusters of nations on the | | | | of North Korean missiles that have been |
| basis of a \"trust factor\", a definition | | | | deployed by Pakistan reportedly in exchange |
| that India fits into easily, unlike Pakistan, | | | | for nuclear secrets. |
| a fact emphasized by Rice during her visit to | | | | |
| the sub-continent. | | | | Last year in January, Bush pledged that the |
| | | | US would be willing to help India with its |
| The \"trust factor\" takes into consideration | | | | nuclear energy and space technology in return |
| a country\'s record in peddling nuclear | | | | for India\'s promise to use the assistance |
| technology as well as indigenous paradigms | | | | for peaceful purposes and to help block the |
| that make the existence of such technology | | | | spread of dangerous weapons. The US also |
| safe/dangerous in a particular country. This | | | | wanted India to implement reciprocal steps to |
| includes matters such as nuclear weapons | | | | impose strict controls over the spread of |
| falling in the hands of terrorist groups. | | | | weapons and technology, in return for |
| | | | expertise and supplies India. The nuclear |
| India has been trying to impress on the world | | | | bill addresses this concern. |
| community that despite being a non-signatory | | | | |