India-America Co-operation

During the end of UPA’s first term, the treaty for partnership and co-operation of non-military nuclear energy which took place between India and America, although the process had started even earlier but the credit of taking it to the concluding phase goes to Dr. Manmohan Singh’s first UPA Government. They took up this step by taking up a lot of risks to the extent that they faced the threat of losing their power. Probably this is the reason why they regarded it as a great feat, that is why they summarised about it’s various benefits which the supporters of this pact have been speaking on their behalf. The biggest advantage of this pact which is being told is that it had brought an end to India’s solitude. The effort which India was making in order to progress in the field of nuclear energy, but their was a roadblock because it didn’t sign the NPT, the treaty relating to the prevention of widespread use of. atomic weapons. That is why in the field of nuclear energy the door to partnership and collaboration with other countries was closed. The countries which were a part of NSG were ready to co-operate with India provided it becomes a part of NPT. It should be clear that NSG is a group of 45 countries which sells equipments and technology related to nuclear energy. The pact with America had an advantage that this door opened up for India as America has become a guarantor that now India is no more a threat. Not only this, the global organisation keeping an eye on nuclear activities that is IAEA has also supported and confirmed this pact and many important affairs with India also took place. The Bush management had carried out the required actions by themselves. There also this debate had completed, now only the process of implementation was left.

The amount of interest shown by former American President George W. Bush and the display of making India their strategic partner, it’s demand was such that the new Government should have taken practical steps in this regard and taken it to the final destination, but the Obama Government did not show the same enthusiasm and interest, rather some other things came in its priority. Rather those people who had good notions in this matter got disheartened by the new American Government. Some of the policies of the new American Government seemed to have an anti-Indian face specially in matters of terrorism and Pakistan. This point has been raised time and again by them that in spite of Pakistan’s record in front of the whole world it is being showered with aids. The American agencies know that it has used the American aid in a wrong way and it is being presented with proofs. In spite of all this America never paid any attention to it and now a new issue has come up on the occasion of G8 Summit. The issue is that in the matter of nuclear energy the G8 have passed a resolution and have made co operation and partnership conditional with NPT. Different sectors of the country have tried to bring to notice the Government’s attention to this matter and the opposition also raised this issue in the Parliament. An explanation has been demanded by the Government but the Government ignored this doubt by saying that it has no relation with the India-America pact, even though a strong ground is present for this doubt because this resolution is passed by America’s consent and it has no place for exception. That means if America wants then it can even use it and the India-America pact in itself has room for it. America has a right to reconsider it’s decision. Government should not underestimate this concern and therefore it is not right to ignore it.

19/07/09 Editorial, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Asma Anjum Siddiqui