One of the world’s largest economies in aggregate terms and once a leader of the Non-aligned Movement, India is now on way to become the most allied ally of the US and Israel. This has largely been due to the policies adopted by various governments during the last decade or so, each of whom has vied with the previous government to give a little more of space to the US and Israel than their predecessors. The fact that there has been no stable government in India ever since the assassination of Rajeev Gandhi coupled with the Pakistan factor prompted the succeeding governments to work to strengthen this relationship even if it meant bending forward or backward.
Manmohan Singh government too has followed the same path perhaps because it was quick to realize that a mere leak of some classified information at the US’s behest, like in the case of Natwar Singh, could threaten the foundations of the government at the Centre. The Congress was left with not many choices but to distance itself with Natwar Singh to save its government.
Manmohan Singh government has followed the same path of its predecessors and has been able to win over US faith to such an extent that the US Government under George Bush, went out of the way to get the Henry J. Hyde, United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006, named after the outgoing Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate in the US. Normally, for any agreement that exempts a recipient non-nuclear weapons state (NNWS) such as India from full-scope safeguards (FSS), as required by section 123 a (2) of he Atomic Energy Act (AEA) to come into force, a specific congressional vote of approval is required. But the substantial changes already incorporated into the legislation by the House and the Senate ensured the passage of bill.
If there was no pressure from top, why would have the House and the Senate gone out of the way to pass the legislation by 330 votes to 79, if India has not given enough guarantees to follow the US policies, particularly putting on stake its freedom in independent foreign policy by ensuring that it would “fully and actively participate in US and international efforts to dissuade, sanction and contain Iran for its nuclear programme,” a point that was very much part of the conditions right from beginning though India did not say so officially. That India was moving on the same lines was evident by its stance and consequent voting against Iran during the UN meeting.
This is a well-known fact that after Afghanistan and Iraq, Iran is the biggest eyesore for the US. India was one of the countries which could have rallied support to Iran owing to the cordial relations between the two countries, the potential of trade between them and the fact that Iran was merely talking of making peaceful use of its nuclear resources while India had already gone ahead with making the nuclear bomb. Owing to the US actively pursuing India and offering the bait, India got into an awkward position in front of the international community, which saw dual policy of the US that was on one hand going out of the way to provide civil nuclear cooperation to India and was on the other hand going out of the way to build pressure against Iran, which was claiming to put its nuclear technology to civil use, and even tried to extract a promise India to support it on this issue, something that the Indian government readily complied with.
India’s lukewarm stance on several international issues, including the attack on Lebanon and Palestine (there was a time when Yasser Arafat was acclaimed as best of our friends) and subsequent killing of thousands of civilians in these two countries and now the execution of Saddam Hussain too has confirmed that India has now become the most allied ally of the US and Israel.
This is good news for those Indians who keep personal gains foremost, whatever the cost to the rest of the world. To those who still wish to value the principles of justice and truth foremost, which has remained the hallmark of Indian history since ancient times, it is definitely not good news as this means India will have to look the other way on many an occasions, just as the US did so when Saddam was slaughtering his own countrymen or used chemical weapons against Iranians. Choice is not there as our government already appears to have opted for the former.
Manmohan Singh government too has followed the same path perhaps because it was quick to realize that a mere leak of some classified information at the US’s behest, like in the case of Natwar Singh, could threaten the foundations of the government at the Centre. The Congress was left with not many choices but to distance itself with Natwar Singh to save its government.
Manmohan Singh government has followed the same path of its predecessors and has been able to win over US faith to such an extent that the US Government under George Bush, went out of the way to get the Henry J. Hyde, United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006, named after the outgoing Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate in the US. Normally, for any agreement that exempts a recipient non-nuclear weapons state (NNWS) such as India from full-scope safeguards (FSS), as required by section 123 a (2) of he Atomic Energy Act (AEA) to come into force, a specific congressional vote of approval is required. But the substantial changes already incorporated into the legislation by the House and the Senate ensured the passage of bill.
If there was no pressure from top, why would have the House and the Senate gone out of the way to pass the legislation by 330 votes to 79, if India has not given enough guarantees to follow the US policies, particularly putting on stake its freedom in independent foreign policy by ensuring that it would “fully and actively participate in US and international efforts to dissuade, sanction and contain Iran for its nuclear programme,” a point that was very much part of the conditions right from beginning though India did not say so officially. That India was moving on the same lines was evident by its stance and consequent voting against Iran during the UN meeting.
This is a well-known fact that after Afghanistan and Iraq, Iran is the biggest eyesore for the US. India was one of the countries which could have rallied support to Iran owing to the cordial relations between the two countries, the potential of trade between them and the fact that Iran was merely talking of making peaceful use of its nuclear resources while India had already gone ahead with making the nuclear bomb. Owing to the US actively pursuing India and offering the bait, India got into an awkward position in front of the international community, which saw dual policy of the US that was on one hand going out of the way to provide civil nuclear cooperation to India and was on the other hand going out of the way to build pressure against Iran, which was claiming to put its nuclear technology to civil use, and even tried to extract a promise India to support it on this issue, something that the Indian government readily complied with.
India’s lukewarm stance on several international issues, including the attack on Lebanon and Palestine (there was a time when Yasser Arafat was acclaimed as best of our friends) and subsequent killing of thousands of civilians in these two countries and now the execution of Saddam Hussain too has confirmed that India has now become the most allied ally of the US and Israel.
This is good news for those Indians who keep personal gains foremost, whatever the cost to the rest of the world. To those who still wish to value the principles of justice and truth foremost, which has remained the hallmark of Indian history since ancient times, it is definitely not good news as this means India will have to look the other way on many an occasions, just as the US did so when Saddam was slaughtering his own countrymen or used chemical weapons against Iranians. Choice is not there as our government already appears to have opted for the former.
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